SS/SCS/SB 271 - This act modifies provisions relating to emergency services. FIRE PROTECTION ORDINANCES This act provides that any fire protection or fire prevention ordinance adopted by any county in this state shall not be exercised so as to impose regulations or to require permits with respect to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures. (Section 64.003) Additionally, current law authorizes fire protection district boards to adopt and amend fire protection and fire prevention ordinances. This act provides that any fire protection and fire prevention ordinances adopted shall not be exercised so as to impose regulations or to require permits with respect to the erection, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of farm buildings or farm structures. (Section 321.220) These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/HB 352 (2025) and are substantially similar to SB 602 (2025) and HCS/HB 533 (2025), and to provisions in HCS/HB 642 (2025). FIREMEN'S RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF ST. LOUIS This act provides that the Board of Trustees of the Firemen's Retirement System of St. Louis ("Board") shall not be prevented from simultaneously acting as the trustees of any other pension plan that provides retirement, disability, and death benefits for firefighters employed by St. Louis City. The administration of the other plan shall be in accordance with the terms of such plan. Additionally, the administration of the other plan includes the ability of the Board to establish rules and regulations for the administration of the plan's funds and for the transaction of the plan's business. The Board shall maintain separate records of all proceedings of the pension plan. Furthermore, this act provides that the Board of Trustees shall have the authority and discretion to invest funds of the other pension plan in property of any kind. The Board may choose to invest the funds of the Firemen's Retirement System of St. Louis and the funds of the plan in the same investments if the amounts invested and the gains, profits, or losses are accounted for separately. No benefits due from the pension plan shall be paid from the funds of the System. Additionally, no expenses incurred by the Board in the administration of the other pension plan or in the investment of the other pension plan's funds shall be paid by the funds of the System. Finally, nothing in this act shall prevent the Board of Aldermen of St. Louis City from adopting ordinances relating to the pensioning of firefighters and their dependents in regards to other pension plans administered by the Board. (Sections 87.140 to 87.350) These provisions are identical to SB 255 (2025) and HB 205 (2025), and to provisions in SCS/HCS/HBs 44 & 426 (2025), SS#2/SCS/HB 147 (2025), SS/SCS/HB 225 (2025), HCS/HB 532 (2025), and are substantially similar to provisions in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 71 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 898 (2024), SCS/SB 1404 (2024), HB 1980 (2024), SB 349 (2021), and HB 1001 (2021). LOCAL USE TAXES Current law authorizes counties and municipalities to impose a local use tax if a local sales tax is imposed. This act extends such authority to any political subdivision with the ability to impose a sales tax for emergency services. (Section 144.757) This provision is identical to a provision in SS#2/SCS/HB 199 (2025), SS/SCS/HB 225 (2025), and is substantially similar to HCS/HB 641 (2025), SB 1264 (2024), and HB 2503 (2024), and to a provision in SCS/SB 33 (2025), SB 270 (2025), and SB 382 (2025). AMBULANCE DISTRICT TRAINING This act modifies training requirements for members of an ambulance district board of directors. Under this act, board members shall complete three hours of continuing education for each term of office. Failure to do so shall result in immediate disqualification and the office shall be vacant until filled. This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/HB 943 (2025), and SCS/SB 317 (2025), and is substantially similar to a provision in SB 548 (2025), SB 7 (2025), SB 206 (2025), SCS/SB 1382 (2024), and SB 1340 (2024). Under this act, each ambulance district shall arrange for an audit of the district's records and accounts every three years by a certified public accountant. The audit shall be made available to the public on the district's website or otherwise freely available by other electronic means. This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/HB 943 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), SB 548 (2025), SB 7 (2025), SB 206 (2025), SCS/SB 1382 (2024), and SB 1340 (2024). The Department of Health and Seniors Services, as a part of regulating ground ambulance service licenses, shall promulgate rules regarding participation with regional emergency medical services advisory committees and ambulance service administrator qualifications. This act requires ambulance services to report to the Department individuals serving as ambulance service administrators. These administrators shall be required to complete training as described in the act. Finally, the Department may refuse to issue, deny renewal of, or suspend a license required for ground ambulance services or take other corrective actions for reasons specified in the act. If the Department makes a determination of insolvency or insufficiency of services, then the Department may require the license holder to submit and complete a corrective plan, as described in the act. The Department shall be required to provide notice of any determination of insolvency or insufficiency of services to persons and entities specified in the act. The Department shall immediately engage with other license holders in the area to determine how ground ambulance services may be provided to the affected area during the service disruption. Assisting license holders may be compensated for such assistance as described in the act. These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/HB 943 (2025), and SCS/SB 317 943 (2025), and substantially similar to provisions in SB 548 (2025), SB 7 (2025), SB 206 (2025), SB 1340 (2024), and provisions in SCS/SB 1382 (2024). Under this act, a specialty hospital, meaning a hospital other than a general acute care hospital, shall not be required to comply with certain statutory provisions relating to forensic examinations of victims of sexual assault if such hospital has in place a policy for the transfer of such victims to an appropriate hospital with an emergency department. This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/HB 943 (2025), SB 178 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), and the perfected HCS/HB 2413 (2024), and substantially similar to SB 1326 (2024). Under current law certain medical professionals, individuals with first aid training, or in cases of suicide attempts, any other individual renders emergency care or assistance at a scene of an emergency or accident, then such individual shall not liable for any civil damages except if damages are caused by gross negligence or willful or wanton acts. This act expands such liability protections to any person rendering emergency care or assistance. This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025) and is substantially similar to SB 521 (2025). STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES This act modifies the State Advisory Council on Emergency Medical Services by changing the number of council members from 16 to no more than 23 and specifying the members who shall serve on the Council. Currently, members are appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Under this act, the Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, the regional EMS advisory committees, and the Time-Critical Diagnosis Advisory Committee shall appoint members. (Section 190.101) This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), SCS/SB 33 (2025), SB 143 (2025), SB 206 (2025), SS/SCS/HB 225 (2025), and HCS/HB 943 (2025), and is substantially similar to HB 313 (2025) and to a provision in HCS/SB 189 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), SB 548 (2025), SB 270 (2025), SB 1277 (2024), and a provision in SCS/SB 1382 (2024). GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT ALLOWANCE Current law establishing the Ground Ambulance Service Reimbursement Allowance excludes any ambulance service owned or operated by an entity owned and operated by Missouri, including any hospital owned or operated by the University of Missouri Board of Curators. This act removes this exception. (Section 190.800) This provision is identical to SB 629 (2025) and HB 1133 (2025), and to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), SS/SCS/HB 225 (2025), HCS/HB 943 (2025). FIRE PROTECTION AND AMBULANCE DISTRICTS SALES TAX Current law authorizes ambulance and fire protection districts in certain counties to propose a sales tax at a rate of up to 0.5%. This act allows such districts to propose a sales tax of up to 1.0%, and repeals a prohibition on certain counties imposing such tax. (Sections 321.552 to 321.556) These provisions are identical to provisions in SS#2/SCS/HB 199 (2025), SS#2/HCS/HBs 594 & 508 (2025), and SS/SCS/HB 225 (2025), and are substantially similar to HCS/HB 895 (2025), HCS/HB 1268 (2025), SB 354 (2023), SB 966 (2022), SB 175 (2021), SB 869 (2020), and HB 2386 (2020), and to a provision in SCS/SB 33 (2025), SB 270 (2025), SCS/SB 770 (2020), SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 1854 (2020), and HCS/SS#2/SB 704 (2020). JOSH NORBERG