This bill establishes new programs and funding mechanisms to enhance emergency medical services (EMS) in Minnesota. It creates an ambulance service cost of readiness grant program to support licensed ambulance services with their capital and operational expenses, as well as an emergency medical services improvement, modernization, and sustainability grant program for political subdivisions. Additionally, a rural emergency medical services uncompensated care pool payment program is introduced to assist eligible ambulance services in non-metropolitan areas. The bill also implements a monthly emergency medical services telecommunications fee for wireless voice service subscribers, which will be collected by service providers and directed into a dedicated revenue account.

Moreover, the bill amends existing statutes to define "medical response unit" and "specialized medical response unit," and it details the criteria for grant awards and the application process. It modifies provisions regarding prepaid wireless telecommunications fees to include the new emergency medical services fee, ensuring proper remittance to the commissioner of revenue. A one-time transfer of $80 million from the general fund to the newly established emergency medical services special revenue account is mandated by July 1, 2025, with ongoing transfers from the EMS account to the general fund starting June 30, 2027. The bill also appropriates funding for various EMS programs over the next two fiscal years and repeals unnecessary sections of the statute to streamline the regulatory framework for EMS in Minnesota.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 144E.275, 144E.001, 403.161, 403.162