SB 975: Modifies provisions relating to ambulance districts

CCS/HCS/SS/SB 975 - This act modifies provisions relating to ambulance districts. Under current law, when an ambulance district is created, the county commission divides the district into six election districts with equal populations, each election district then elects one member of the board of directors. This act authorizes the county commission to choose six election districts or have an at large election of the six directors. The act allows an ambulance district to abolish the boundaries of its existing subdistricts if the board is unable to find qualified candidate to fill each subdistrict position. Such action requires a public hearing, and an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the board of directors. Under this act, an ambulance district may, after a public hearing, adopt an ordinance by affirmative vote of two thirds to establish election subdistrict. The boundaries of such subdistricts shall be created by the county commission. Each subdistrict shall consist of contiguous territory and be as compact and equal in population as possible. Current law provides that six-member ambulance district boards can adopt a resolution changing the size of the board to seven, with one board member running district wide, or decreased to five, or three members. This act requires such a resolution to name any vacancy to be filled at a subsequent election, if the size of the board is increasing. If the size is decreasing, all existing board members will complete their terms. This act requires the county commission to fill vacant seats on the board of directors within thirty days, if a majority of the remaining directors makes a written request that the county commission fill such vacancies. Under current law, voters can file a petition for the district to annex land, when such a petition is filed, the county commission shall have a hearing as soon as possible. Under this act, the county commission is required to have such hearing within thirty days of the petition being filed. This act requires that where the voters approve the consolidation of an ambulance district, any activities necessary to facilitate such consolidation shall be prioritized and expedited. Current law provides a form for a petition or resolution to consolidate ambulance districts. This act adds language to that form that requires the consolidated district to be named at the time the form is submitted. Under the provisions of this act, when a petition or resolution is filed, it must be filed with a consolidation plan that will outline the proposed consolidation process. The consolidation plan must include the names of the districts to be consolidated, the tax to be levied, the name of the district responsible for maintaining ambulance service during the consolidation, the proposed number of board members, and a time line for consolidation. This act requires that each of the ambulance districts that seeks to consolidate must publish notice of the intent to consolidate in a newspaper of general circulation in every county that will be served by the consolidated district. This notice shall be posted once a week for two consecutive weeks. Within thirty days of the second publication, the ambulance districts seeking to consolidate must hold a public hearing on the matter. Under current law, an ambulance district can only consolidate if it is approved by voters. Under this act, a vote on consolidation occurs only if an objection to the consolidation is filed. Objections must be signed by no less than five percent of the votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election in the district. If no objection is filed within thirty days of the public hearing on consolidation, within forty-five days of the public hearing, the county commission shall order the districts consolidated. Upon consolidation, the district may impose a tax levy up to the highest tax levy of the consolidating districts, if such tax levy was specified in the ballot language submitted to and approved by the voters of the consolidating districts. If there is no vote taken on consolidation, the district can not impose a property or sales tax rate that is greater than the lowest of any existing rate within any of the districts to be consolidated. Upon consolidation, all assets and obligation of the existing ambulance districts shall become the assets and obligations of the consolidated district. This act modifies the Critical Incident Stress Management Program. Under current law, all peace officers and first responders are required to have a mental health check-in with a program service provider once every three to five years. This act allows a peace officer or first responder to satisfy this requirement if they participate in an established behavioral health or mental health program that meets enumerated requirements. This act also adds first responder commanding officers to the list of people approved to receive notification that the check-in requirement has been met. This act is similar to HB 2600 (2026) and contains a provision that is identical to SB 1731 (2026) and SB 1745 (2026). TRISTAN BENSON, JR