1997 Minnesota Statutes

     144E.50 Emergency medical services fund. 

    Subdivision 1.    Citation.  This section is the 
 "Minnesota Emergency Medical Services System Support Act."  

    Subd. 2.    Establishment and purpose.  In order to 
 develop, maintain, and improve regional emergency medical 
 services systems, the emergency medical services regulatory 
 board shall establish an emergency medical services system 
 fund.  The fund shall be used for the general purposes of 
 promoting systematic, cost-effective delivery of emergency 
 medical care throughout the state; identifying common local, 
 regional, and state emergency medical system needs and providing 
 assistance in addressing those needs; providing discretionary 
 grants for emergency medical service projects with potential 
 regionwide significance; providing for public education about 
 emergency medical care; promoting the exchange of emergency 
 medical care information; ensuring the ongoing coordination of 
 regional emergency medical services systems; and establishing 
 and maintaining training standards to ensure consistent quality 
 of emergency medical services throughout the state.  

    Subd. 3.    Definition.  For purposes of this section, 
 "board" means the emergency medical services regulatory board. 

    Subd. 4.    Use and restrictions.  Designated regional 
 emergency medical services systems may use emergency medical 
 services system funds to support local and regional emergency 
 medical services as determined within the region, with 
 particular emphasis given to supporting and improving emergency 
 trauma and cardiac care and training.  No part of a region's 
 share of the fund may be used to directly subsidize any 
 ambulance service operations or rescue service operations or to 
 purchase any vehicles or parts of vehicles for an ambulance 
 service or a rescue service. 

    Subd. 5.    Distribution.  Money from the fund shall be 
 distributed according to this subdivision.  Ninety-three and 
 one-third percent of the fund shall be distributed annually on a 
 contract for services basis with each of the eight regional 
 emergency medical services systems designated by the board.  The 
 systems shall be governed by a body consisting of appointed 
 representatives from each of the counties in that region and 
 shall also include representatives from emergency medical 
 services organizations.  The board shall contract with a 
 regional entity only if the contract proposal satisfactorily 
 addresses proposed emergency medical services activities in the 
 following areas:  personnel training, transportation 
 coordination, public safety agency cooperation, communications 
 systems maintenance and development, public involvement, health 
 care facilities involvement, and system management.  If each of 
 the regional emergency medical services systems submits a 
 satisfactory contract proposal, then this part of the fund shall 
 be distributed evenly among the regions.  If one or more of the 
 regions does not contract for the full amount of its even share 
 or if its proposal is unsatisfactory, then the board may 
 reallocate the unused funds to the remaining regions on a pro 
 rata basis.  Six and two-thirds percent of the fund shall be 
 used by the board to support regionwide reporting systems and to 
 provide other regional administration and technical assistance. 

    HIST: 1Sp1985 c 9 art 2 s 13; 1987 c 209 s 39; 1992 c 549 art 
 5 s 14; 1995 c 207 art 9 s 17; 1996 c 324 s 1; 1997 c 199 s 14