H.B. No. 3000 establishes a Rural Ambulance Service Grant Program aimed at providing financial assistance to qualified ambulance service providers in certain rural counties in Texas. The bill introduces Section 130.914 to the Local Government Code, defining key terms such as "qualified county" (a county with a population of 68,750 or less) and "qualified rural ambulance service provider" (entities licensed to provide emergency medical services predominantly in rural areas). The comptroller is tasked with administering the program, which allows qualified counties to submit one grant application per fiscal year, with specific funding limits based on population size.
The bill outlines the conditions under which grants may be awarded, including considerations for the distance to trauma facilities and the county's financial capabilities. It specifies that grant funds can only be used for purchasing ambulances and prohibits counties from reducing their ambulance service budgets in the following fiscal year. Additionally, the comptroller is required to adopt 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 is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.
Statutes affected: Introduced: ()