This bill establishes new grant programs and funding mechanisms to enhance ambulance services and emergency medical services (EMS) in Minnesota. It introduces 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" aimed at improving the EMS system. Additionally, a "rural emergency medical services uncompensated care pool payment program" is created to provide financial assistance to eligible ambulance services in non-metropolitan areas. To fund these initiatives, the bill establishes a monthly emergency medical services telecommunications fee and a prepaid wireless emergency medical services fee.

Key amendments include the addition of definitions for "medical response unit" and "specialized medical response unit," which clarify their roles in medical emergencies. The bill also specifies grant award criteria, application processes, and fund usage, while modifying existing statutes to incorporate the new fees. It includes a one-time transfer of $80 million from the general fund to the emergency medical services special revenue account, along with ongoing appropriations of $16 million for ambulance service readiness, $60 million for EMS improvement and sustainability, and $4 million for rural EMS uncompensated care. Furthermore, it repeals a subdivision related to EMS funding and a section concerning medical response unit registration, streamlining the regulatory framework for these services.

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