This bill mandates that counties and municipalities in South Dakota ensure a minimum level of emergency medical services (EMS) is available within their jurisdictions for prehospital emergency medical treatment and transport. It amends current law to remove the optional nature of providing or contracting for ambulance services, establishing instead a requirement for these services. The Department of Health will be responsible for promulgating rules that define the minimum levels of EMS, which will include aspects such as contracts for services, response times, required personnel, treatment protocols, and quality assurance standards.

Additionally, the bill establishes the Emergency Medical Services Funding Task Force, which will examine funding mechanisms to support EMS provision at the local level. The task force will consist of various legislative members and is tasked with gathering input from stakeholders and delivering a report with findings and recommendations by November 1, 2026. The task force is limited to five meetings during the 2026 interim and will be dissolved upon submitting its report. The provisions of the bill regarding EMS requirements will take effect on July 1, 2028.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/15/2026: 34-11-1