HB1910eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1910 Engrossed LRB100 04393 AWJ 14399 b

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Rescue Squad Districts Act is amended by adding Section 11.5 as follows:

(70 ILCS 2005/11.5 new)

Sec. 11.5. Emergency ambulance service tax.

(a) The board of trustees of any rescue squad district incorporated under this Act is authorized under the terms and conditions set out in this Section to provide emergency ambulance service to or from points within or without the district, to contract with providers of emergency ambulance service, to combine with other units of governments for the purpose of providing emergency ambulance service, to levy a tax for the provision of such service, and to adopt rules and regulations relating to emergency ambulance service within its jurisdiction.

(b) 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 every citizen of Illinois;

(2) that, insofar as it is economically feasible, emergency ambulance service should be provided by private enterprise; and

(3) that, in the event adequate and continuing emergency ambulance services do not exist, rescue squad districts should be authorized to provide, and shall cause to be provided, emergency ambulance service as a public responsibility.

(c) Whenever the board of trustees of a rescue squad district desires to levy a special tax to provide an ambulance service, it shall certify the question to the proper election officials, who shall submit that question at an election to the voters of the district. The result of the referendum shall be entered upon the records of the district. If a majority of the votes on the proposition are in favor of the proposition, the board of trustees may then levy a special tax at a rate not to exceed 0.40% of the value of all taxable property within the district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue. The proposition shall be in substantially the following form: -------------------------------------------------------------

Shall the .... Rescue Squad District levy a special tax at a rate YES not to exceed 0.40% of the value of all taxable property within the district as --------------- equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing NO an emergency ambulance service? -------------------------------------------------------------

(d) If it appears that a majority of all valid votes cast on the proposition are in favor of levying a special tax to pay for emergency ambulance services, the board of trustees may levy and collect an annual tax for the purpose of providing ambulance service under this Act to be extended at a rate not to exceed 0.40% of the full fair cash value of the taxable property within the governmental unit as assessed or equalized by the Department of Revenue. This annual tax shall be in addition to the other taxes a rescue squad district may levy for its corporate purposes.

(e) Any board of trustees may:

(1) provide or operate an emergency ambulance service;

(2) contract with a private person, hospital, corporation, or another governmental unit for the provision and operation of emergency ambulance service or subsidize the emergency ambulance service;

(3) limit the number of emergency ambulance services;

(4) within its jurisdiction, fix, charge, and collect fees for emergency ambulance service within or outside of the rescue squad district not exceeding the reasonable cost of the service;

(5) establish necessary regulations not inconsistent with the statutes or rules of the Department of Public Health relating to emergency ambulance service; and

(6) the trustees shall have the power identified in paragraphs (3) and (5) only if the district has passed the referendum provided for in this Section.

(f) In this Section:

"Emergency ambulance service" includes, without limitation, pre-hospital medical services.

"Pre-hospital medical services" includes emergency services performed by a paramedic or other on-board emergency personnel that are within the scope of the provider's license.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.