55 ILCS 5/5-1053

(55 ILCS 5/5-1053) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-1053)

Sec. 5-1053. Terms and conditions of emergency ambulance service. Under the terms and conditions hereinafter set out, a county board may provide emergency ambulance service to or from points within or without the county; may contract with providers of ambulance service; may combine with other units of governments for the purpose of providing ambulance service; may pay for the expenses incurred in providing for or contracting for the provision of such service from the general funds of the county; may levy a tax for the provision of such service under the provisions of Section 5-1028; and may adopt rules and regulations relating to ambulance service within its jurisdiction.

(a) It is declared as a matter of public policy:

(1) That, in order to preserve, protect and promote the public health, safety and general welfare, adequate and continuing emergency ambulance service should be available to citizens of Illinois;

(2) That, insofar as it is economically feasible, emergency ambulance service may be provided by private enterprise or units of local government; and

(3) That, in the event adequate and continuing emergency ambulance services do not exist and cannot be effectively and efficiently provided by private enterprise or other units of local government, counties should be authorized to provide or cause to be provided, ambulance service as a public service.

(b) Whenever the County Board of a county which is not a home rule county desires to provide an ambulance service, it may pass, by a majority vote of those elected to the Board, an ordinance upon such subject.

(c) If the County Board passes such an ordinance the board may:

1. Provide or operate an ambulance service;

2. Contract with a private person, hospital, corporation or another governmental unit for the provision and operation of ambulance service or subsidize the service thereof;

3. Limit the number of ambulance services;

4. Within its jurisdiction, fix, charge and collect fees for ambulance service within or outside of the county not exceeding the reasonable cost of the service;

5. Establish necessary regulations not inconsistent with the statutes or regulations of the Department of Public Health relating to ambulance service; and

6. Pay for the expenses incurred in providing such ambulance service under this Division from the general funds of the county or from the proceeds of a tax levied and collected annually under the provisions of Section 5-1028.

(d) Nothing in this Section is intended or shall be construed to require or mandate any county or county board to provide any emergency ambulance service.

(Source: P.A. 86-962; 86-1028.)