This bill mandates that counties and municipalities in South Dakota must provide emergency medical services within their jurisdictions. It amends existing laws to increase liquidated court costs from fifty to fifty-five dollars, which will be allocated to various funds, including five dollars to a newly established emergency medical services fund. The bill also introduces a requirement for each county and municipality to ensure a minimum level of emergency medical service is available, with specific standards for response times, staffing, treatment protocols, and quality assurance.

Additionally, the bill creates the emergency medical services fund, which will be funded through the liquidated costs and other designated moneys. This fund will be used to provide grants to counties and municipalities for operational costs, equipment purchases, personnel recruitment, and training necessary for maintaining emergency medical services. The department will prioritize grant awards for smaller counties and municipalities, as well as those that collaborate in service provision. The bill also outlines the application process for these grants and mandates 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