HB1910 EngrossedLRB100 04393 AWJ 14399 b

1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Rescue Squad Districts Act is amended by
5adding Section 11.5 as follows:
 
6    (70 ILCS 2005/11.5 new)
7    Sec. 11.5. Emergency ambulance service tax.
8    (a) The board of trustees of any rescue squad district
9incorporated under this Act is authorized under the terms and
10conditions set out in this Section to provide emergency
11ambulance service to or from points within or without the
12district, to contract with providers of emergency ambulance
13service, to combine with other units of governments for the
14purpose of providing emergency ambulance service, to levy a tax
15for the provision of such service, and to adopt rules and
16regulations relating to emergency ambulance service within its
17jurisdiction.
18    (b) It is declared as a matter of public policy:
19        (1) that, in order to preserve, protect, and promote
20    the public health, safety, and general welfare, adequate
21    and continuing emergency ambulance service should be
22    available to every citizen of Illinois;
23        (2) that, insofar as it is economically feasible,

 

 

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1    emergency ambulance service should be provided by private
2    enterprise; and
3        (3) that, in the event adequate and continuing
4    emergency ambulance services do not exist, rescue squad
5    districts should be authorized to provide, and shall cause
6    to be provided, emergency ambulance service as a public
7    responsibility.
8    (c) Whenever the board of trustees of a rescue squad
9district desires to levy a special tax to provide an ambulance
10service, it shall certify the question to the proper election
11officials, who shall submit that question at an election to the
12voters of the district. The result of the referendum shall be
13entered upon the records of the district. If a majority of the
14votes on the proposition are in favor of the proposition, the
15board of trustees may then levy a special tax at a rate not to
16exceed 0.40% of the value of all taxable property within the
17district as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue.
18The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:
19-------------------------------------------------------------
20    Shall the .... Rescue Squad
21District levy  a special tax at a rate        YES
22not to exceed 0.40% of the value of all
23taxable property within the district as    ---------------
24equalized or assessed by the Department
25of Revenue for the purpose of providing        NO
26an emergency ambulance service?

 

 

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1------------------------------------------------------------- 
2    (d) If it appears that a majority of all valid votes cast
3on the proposition are in favor of levying a special tax to pay
4for emergency ambulance services, the board of trustees may
5levy and collect an annual tax for the purpose of providing
6ambulance service under this Act to be extended at a rate not
7to exceed 0.40% of the full fair cash value of the taxable
8property within the governmental unit as assessed or equalized
9by the Department of Revenue. This annual tax shall be in
10addition to the other taxes a rescue squad district may levy
11for its corporate purposes.
12    (e) Any board of trustees may:
13        (1) provide or operate an emergency ambulance service;
14        (2) contract with a private person, hospital,
15    corporation, or another governmental unit for the
16    provision and operation of emergency ambulance service or
17    subsidize the emergency ambulance service;
18        (3) limit the number of emergency ambulance services;
19        (4) within its jurisdiction, fix, charge, and collect
20    fees for emergency ambulance service within or outside of
21    the rescue squad district not exceeding the reasonable cost
22    of the service;
23        (5) establish necessary regulations not inconsistent
24    with the statutes or rules of the Department of Public
25    Health relating to emergency ambulance service; and
26        (6) the trustees shall have the power identified in

 

 

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1    paragraphs (3) and (5) only if the district has passed the
2    referendum provided for in this Section.
3    (f) In this Section:
4    "Emergency ambulance service" includes, without
5limitation, pre-hospital medical services.
6    "Pre-hospital medical services" includes emergency
7services performed by a paramedic or other on-board emergency
8personnel that are within the scope of the provider's license.
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.