The bill, S.B. No. 1377, establishes a Rural Ambulance Service Grant Program aimed at providing financial assistance to qualified ambulance service providers in certain rural counties in Texas. It introduces a new section, 130.914, to the Local Government Code, defining key terms such as "qualified county" (with a population of 68,750 or less) and "qualified rural ambulance service provider." The program will be administered by the comptroller, who will oversee grant applications from counties, with each county allowed to submit one application per fiscal year. The bill specifies grant amounts based on county population, with a maximum of $500,000 for counties with populations under 10,000 and $350,000 for those between 10,000 and 68,750.

Additionally, the bill outlines the conditions under which grants may be awarded, including the requirement that funds be used solely for purchasing ambulances. It prohibits counties from reducing their ambulance service budgets in the fiscal year following a grant award and mandates that counties must purchase ambulances within five years of receiving grant funds. The comptroller is tasked with creating rules for the application process, deadlines, and compliance monitoring. The program is set to begin accepting applications on January 1, 2026, with the comptroller required to establish the program and its rules by that date. The act will take effect on September 1, 2025.

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