MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency By: Senator(s) Hill Senate Bill 2824 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 17-25-41, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT AMBULANCE SERVICES FROM ENTERING INTO EXCLUSIVITY CONTRACTS FOR NONEMERGENCY TRANSFERS; TO REQUIRE THAT IN NONEMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION SITUATIONS INVOLVING A COUNTY-TO-COUNTY OR COUNTY TO ANOTHER STATE TRANSFER, THE PATIENT OR THE PATIENT'S FAMILY WILL DECIDE WHICH AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDER PERFORMS THE TRANSFER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 17-25-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 17-25-41. (1) Any contract between the board of supervisors of a county or the governing authorities of a municipality and a private provider of ambulance services for the contracting provider to be the exclusive provider of ambulance services in the county or municipality, as the case may be, must contain a provision that requires the contracting provider to have a mutual aid agreement with other ambulance service providers to respond to 911 and natural disaster calls and provide service in the county or municipality, as the case may be, during times and circumstances when the contracting provider is experiencing shortages of equipment or personnel that cause a delay in responding to calls for service. The requirements of this section shall also apply to contracts between emergency medical service districts created under Section 41-59-51 and private providers of ambulance services. (2) This section shall apply to all contracts described in subsection (1) of this section that are entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. (3) Any contract between a hospital or health care facility and a private provider of ambulance services that requires transportation services to exclusively transport patients to a certain hospital or health care facility during nonemergency transport is prohibited. (4) When ambulance services are performing a nonemergency transport from one county to another county, or from a hospital to another county or state, the decision of which ambulance service the patient will be transported by shall be left to the discretion of the patient or the patient's family. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Senator(s) Hill
# Senate Bill 2824
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 17-25-41, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT AMBULANCE SERVICES FROM ENTERING INTO EXCLUSIVITY CONTRACTS FOR NONEMERGENCY TRANSFERS; TO REQUIRE THAT IN NONEMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION SITUATIONS INVOLVING A COUNTY-TO-COUNTY OR COUNTY TO ANOTHER STATE TRANSFER, THE PATIENT OR THE PATIENT'S FAMILY WILL DECIDE WHICH AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDER PERFORMS THE TRANSFER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 17-25-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
17-25-41. (1) Any contract between the board of supervisors of a county or the governing authorities of a municipality and a private provider of ambulance services for the contracting provider to be the exclusive provider of ambulance services in the county or municipality, as the case may be, must contain a provision that requires the contracting provider to have a mutual aid agreement with other ambulance service providers to respond to 911 and natural disaster calls and provide service in the county or municipality, as the case may be, during times and circumstances when the contracting provider is experiencing shortages of equipment or personnel that cause a delay in responding to calls for service. The requirements of this section shall also apply to contracts between emergency medical service districts created under Section 41-59-51 and private providers of ambulance services.
(2) This section shall apply to all contracts described in subsection (1) of this section that are entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024.
(3) Any contract between a hospital or health care facility and a private provider of ambulance services that requires transportation services to exclusively transport patients to a certain hospital or health care facility during nonemergency transport is prohibited.
(4) When ambulance services are performing a nonemergency transport from one county to another county, or from a hospital to another county or state, the decision of which ambulance service the patient will be transported by shall be left to the discretion of the patient or the patient's family.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.