This bill mandates that counties and municipalities in South Dakota must provide emergency medical services within their jurisdictions, establishing a minimum level of service that includes prehospital emergency medical treatment and transport. The legislation amends existing laws to increase liquidated court costs from fifty to fifty-five dollars, with the additional funds allocated to various public safety and emergency services funds, including a newly created emergency medical services fund. This fund will be used to provide grants to local governments to support operational costs, equipment purchases, personnel recruitment, and training necessary for maintaining minimum emergency medical services.

Additionally, the bill outlines the criteria for counties and municipalities to be eligible for grants from the emergency medical services fund, prioritizing those with smaller populations and those that collaborate in service provision. The Department of Health will be responsible for administering the fund and establishing rules for the grant application process, including timelines and criteria for approval. The bill also includes a provision for an initial transfer of $1,000,000 from the general fund to the emergency medical services fund and requires annual reporting on grant distribution and usage. The act is set to take effect on June 30, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/09/2025: 23-3-52, 23-3-53, 34-11-1