House File 725 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 725 BY GEARHART A BILL FOR An Act establishing a rural emergency response enhancement 1 program, making appropriations, and including effective date 2 provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2227HH (3) 91 lh/ko
H.F. 725 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 135.196 Rural emergency response 1 enhancement program. 2 1. For purposes of this section, unless the context 3 otherwise requires: 4 a. Emergency medical technician training or EMT training 5 means an accredited training program meeting state and national 6 certification standards for emergency medical technicians. 7 b. Program means the rural emergency response enhancement 8 program established in this section. 9 c. Small rural police department means a police department 10 serving a population of ten thousand or less according to the 11 most recent federal decennial census. 12 d. Volunteer fire department means a fire department 13 primarily staffed by volunteers serving a population of ten 14 thousand or less according to the most recent federal decennial 15 census. 16 2. The rural emergency response enhancement program 17 is established and shall be administered by the department 18 of health and human services for the purpose of providing 19 grants to small rural police departments and volunteer fire 20 departments to enhance emergency response capacity through EMT 21 training. 22 3. a. To be considered for a grant under the program, a 23 small rural police department or a volunteer fire department 24 must demonstrate a need for EMT training in the small rural 25 police departments or volunteer fire departments service 26 area, and commit to deploying personnel who have completed 27 EMT training to provide emergency medical services in the 28 small rural police departments or volunteer fire departments 29 service area. 30 b. The department shall review applications, giving priority 31 to the highest demonstrated need for EMT training, and award 32 grants to eligible applicants that may include any of the 33 following: 34 (1) A grant that is a dollar-for-dollar match for each 35 -1- LSB 2227HH (3) 91 lh/ko 1/ 4
H.F. 725 dollar contributed by or on behalf of the eligible applicant. 1 (2) A grant that covers all or part of the costs of the 2 eligible applicants EMT training, including tuition, course 3 fees, course materials, training equipment, medical kits, 4 simulation tools, certification fees, and other expenses as 5 approved by the department. 6 c. A small rural police department or a volunteer fire 7 department awarded a grant under the program must submit an 8 annual report to the department that contains all of the 9 following: 10 (1) The number of personnel who received EMT training. 11 (2) Any improvements made in emergency response time, 12 and, if applicable, the impact of the improvements on the 13 small rural police departments or volunteer fire departments 14 service area. 15 (3) Any challenges the small rural police department or 16 volunteer fire department had in implementing the program. 17 4. The rural emergency response enhancement program fund 18 is created in the state treasury under the control of the 19 department. All moneys deposited or paid into the fund are 20 appropriated to the department to be used to award grants under 21 the program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund 22 that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of each 23 fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for 24 expenditure. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, 25 interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited 26 to the fund. 27 5. For each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2025, 28 and before July 1, 2029, there is appropriated from the general 29 fund of the state for deposit in the rural emergency response 30 enhancement fund, an amount sufficient to cover grants awarded 31 under the program not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand 32 dollars in any fiscal year. 33 6. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 34 17A to implement and administer this section, including rules 35 -2- LSB 2227HH (3) 91 lh/ko 2/ 4
H.F. 725 related to the application process and the awarding of grants. 1 7. On or before December 31, 2028, the department shall 2 submit a report to the general assembly containing an 3 evaluation of the program, including the number of grants 4 awarded, the number of personnel trained, the impact of 5 the program on emergency medical services in rural areas, 6 and any recommendations for the continuation, modification, 7 or termination of the program based on utilization and 8 effectiveness. 9 8. This section is repealed July 1, 2029. 10 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 11 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill establishes the rural emergency response 16 enhancement program (program). 17 The bill defines emergency medical technician (EMT) 18 training, small rural police department (police department), 19 and volunteer fire department (fire department). 20 The bill requires the department of health and human 21 services (HHS) to administer the program for the purpose of 22 providing grants to police departments and fire departments to 23 enhance emergency response capacity through EMT training. 24 To be considered for a grant under the program, a police 25 department or fire department must demonstrate a need for 26 EMT training in the police departments or fire departments 27 service area, and commit to deploying personnel who have 28 completed EMT training to provide emergency medical service 29 in the service area. HHS shall review applications, giving 30 priority to the highest demonstrated need for EMT training, 31 and award grants to eligible applicants to be used for costs 32 associated with EMT training. A police department or fire 33 department awarded a grant must submit an annual report to HHS 34 containing information related to the use of the grant moneys. 35 -3- LSB 2227HH (3) 91 lh/ko 3/ 4
H.F. 725 The bill creates a rural emergency response enhancement 1 fund (fund) in the state treasury under the control of HHS. 2 All moneys in the fund shall be used to award grants under the 3 program. 4 For each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2025, and 5 before July 1, 2029, there is appropriated from the general 6 fund for deposit in the fund, an amount sufficient to cover the 7 grants awarded under the program, not to exceed $250,000 each 8 fiscal year. 9 The bill requires HHS to adopt rules to implement and 10 administer the program. 11 On or before December 31, 2028, HHS shall submit a report to 12 the general assembly containing an evaluation of the program, 13 including recommendations for the continuation, modification, 14 or termination of the program. 15 The bill takes effect upon enactment. The program is 16 repealed July 1, 2029. 17 -4- LSB 2227HH (3) 91 lh/ko 4/ 4