24 LC 54 0358
Senate Bill 515
By: Senators Hatchett of the 50th, Watson of the 1st, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Williams of
the 25th, Anderson of the 24th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
1
general provisions regarding emergency medical services, so as to provide for a two-year2
pilot program to provide additional ambulances to certain areas of this state; to provide for3
definitions; to provide for eligibility; to provide for acquisition of the ambulances; to provide4
for termination of the pilot program and automatic repeal of the statute; to provide for related5
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7
SECTION 1.8
Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general9
provisions regarding emergency medical services, is amended by adding a new Code section10
to read as follows:11
"31-11-13.
12
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:13
(1) 'Ambulance' means a motor vehicle that is specially constructed and equipped and14
is intended to be used for the emergency transportation of patients.15
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(2) 'Region' means a geographical district designated by the department in accord with16
Code Section 31-3-15 that administers an emergency medical services system within such17
district.18
(b) The department shall establish a pilot program to be developed and implemented by19
the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission and the State Office of EMS and Trauma,20
in collaboration with the Region 2 Emergency Medical Services Council and the Region 821
Emergency Medical Services Council, during Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026.22
(c) Such pilot program shall provide for the procurement and operation of four23
ambulances, of which:24
(1) One unit shall be dedicated to an air ambulance crew for the purpose of additional25
response to the air ambulance or to allow such crew to respond in the event they are26
unable to fly;27
(2) One shall be dedicated solely to inter-facility nonemergency transfers; and28
(3) One shall be assigned to Region 2 and one shall be assigned to Region 8. The29
primary use of each ambulance shall be to support coverage for counties that dispatch30
ambulances on extended patient transfers. The secondary use shall be for nonemergency31
transfers.32
(d) No later than December 1, 2024, the department shall release a request for proposals33
on the Georgia Procurement Registry, pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 50-5-69,34
to identify one or more ambulance providers to fulfill the pilot program.35
(e) The directors of Region 2 and Region 8 shall each submit monthly a detailed written36
report to the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission and the State Office of EMS and37
Trauma. Such reports shall contain information on the implementation and effectiveness38
of the additional ambulances on the regions' emergency medical services system, including,39
but not limited to, data relative to the activity and usage of the ambulances and the impact40
on service delivery. Such reports shall be submitted on the fifteenth day of the month41
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following the first full month of service of the ambulance provided to such region under42
this pilot program.43
(f) The pilot program created by this Code section shall terminate June 30, 2027, and this44
Code section shall be repealed by operation of law on such date."45
SECTION 2.46
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.47
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