COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION



FISCAL NOTE



L.R. No.: 1015-07

Bill No.: HCS for SCS for SB 486 & SB 422

Subject: Ambulances and Ambulance Districts; Emergencies; Health Care; Health Department

Type: Corrected

Date: May 7, 2001

#Corrected bill title.


FISCAL SUMMARY



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
General Revenue* ($477,467) ($413,501) ($410,595)
Fire Education $0 $0 $0
Fire District Equipment $0 $0 $0
Chemical Emergency Preparedness $0 $211,060 $266,604
Missouri Fire Education Trust $0 $0 $0
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

State Funds

($477,467) ($202,441) ($143,991)

*Does not include unknown revenue for collection fees and unknown appropriations of grant funds.

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
None
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

Federal Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
Local Government $0 TO UNKNOWN $391,971 TO UNKNOWN $495,120 TO UNKNOWN

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 19 pages.



FISCAL ANALYSIS



ASSUMPTION



House Bill 280



Officials from the Department of Health and the Department of Insurance assume this portion of the proposal would not fiscally impact their agencies.



Officials from the Office of Secretary of State (SOS) state this portion of the proposal requires the Department of Health to promulgate rules to implement new ambulance regulations. SOS states that based on experience with other divisions, the rules, regulations, and forms issued by the Attorney General could require as many as 24 pages in the Code of State Regulations. For any given rule, roughly half again as many pages are published in the Missouri Register in the Code because cost statements, fiscal notes, and the like are not repeated in Code. These costs are estimated. The estimated cost of a page in the Missouri Register is $23. The estimated cost of a page in the Code of State Regulations is $27. The actual cost could be more or less than the numbers given. The fiscal impact of this proposal in future years in unknown and depends upon the frequency and length of rules filed, amended, rescinded, or withdrawn.



Oversight assumes the SOS could absorb the costs of printing and distributing regulations related to this portion of the proposal. If multiple proposals pass which require the printing and distribution of regulations at substantial costs, the SOS could request funding through the appropriation process. Any decisions to raise fees to defray costs would likely be made in subsequent fiscal years.



Officials from Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital, Newton County Ambulance District, St. Charles County Ambulance District, Vallee Ambulance District, Mid-Mo Ambulance District, Stoddard County Ambulance District, Taney County Ambulance District did not respond to our fiscal impact request on this portion of the proposal.



House Bill 69



ASSUMPTION (continued)



Officials from the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety (DFS) stated for this

portion of the proposal that there are 899 fire departments registered with their division. It is not known how many of these districts and departments receive less than $10,000 in tax revenues or how many are wholly or partially supported by membership or a subscriber fee system. This would be a matching grant process; 25% local funds, 75% general revenue state funds. The DFS would create and process the grant applications.



The DFS assumes that the Fire Safety Advisory Board, which is housed in the Division, would review and approve (or disapprove) grant applications submitted by fire departments. The Division does not see a need for additional FTEs, however, the overall fiscal impact is unknown since there is not a dollar figure or formula specified within the legislation.



Officials from the Office of Administration - Budget and Planning (BAP) state this portion of the proposal should not result in additional costs or savings to the Office of Administration.



Oversight assumes that funding is subject to appropriation and that the amount is unknown at this time for this portion of the proposal.



House Bill 497



Officials from the Office of State Treasurer and the Department of Insurance assume this portion of the proposal would not fiscally impact their agencies.



Office of Secretary of State (SOS) officials state this portion of the proposal creates the Fire District Equipment fund which would supply grants to qualifying fire departments. The Division of Fire Safety would promulgate rules to implement this proposal. SOS states that based on experience with other divisions, the rules, regulations, and forms issued by the Division of Fire Safety could require as many as 10 pages in the Code of State Regulations. For any given rule, roughly half again as many pages are published in the Missouri Register in the Code because cost statements, fiscal notes, and the like are not repeated in Code. These costs are estimated. The estimated cost of a page in the Missouri Register is $23. The estimated cost of a page in the Code of State Regulations is $27. The actual cost could be more or less than the numbers given. The fiscal impact of this proposal in future years in unknown and depends upon the frequency and length of rules filed, amended, rescinded, or withdrawn.



Oversight assumes the SOS could absorb the costs of printing and distributing regulations related to this portion of the proposal. If multiple proposals pass which require the printing and distribution of regulations at substantial costs, the SOS could request funding through the appropriation process. Any decisions to raise fees to defray costs would likely be made in



ASSUMPTION (continued)



subsequent fiscal years.



Officials from the Department of Revenue, the Department of Public Safety, and Office of Administration did not respond to our fiscal note request for this portion of the proposal. However, in responding to a similar request last session they assume no fiscal impact on this portion of the proposal.



The Governor's Budget for FY 2002 shows General Revenue Insurance Tax receipts of $147,315,302 in FY 2000 and estimates receipts of $149,200,000 for FY 2001 and $151,400,000 for FY 2002. One-half of these collections are retained by the General Revenue Fund. This proposal would allow transfers to the Fire Education Trust Fund of approximately $373,000 in FY 2002 and $378,500 in FY 2003. Oversight assumes receipts would remain constant at $151,400,000 per year, subsequently.





House Bill 689



Officials of the Department of Revenue stated that as a result of this portion of the proposal they would be required to create a shape file on the MITS mainframe sales tax system for the boundaries of the fire districts. The creation of the shape file would require ongoing maintenance as the district grows and expands. In order to provide numbers to calculate the property tax reduction MITS would need to track the sales tax generated from each of the fire district's sales tax. DOR would need 727 hours of programming at a total cost of $24,569, and Data Center cost of $4,730.



Oversight assumes that the Department of Revenue would realize income from a 1% collection fee of the sales tax. The amount of revenues are indeterminable and will be shown as unknown.

The income from the collection fee would be deposited in the State's General Revenue Fund.



Officials of the Department of Health assumes there would be no fiscal impact to their department on this portion of the proposal.



Officials of the Department of Revenue assume this portion of the proposal would create a sales tax for ambulance districts which do not have a required boundary as a city or a county. Officials assume they would need one Tax Processing Technician I for each 1,000 businesses in the district in order to continually work with the businesses in the districts and to keep current the registration issues that arise with the increasing number of districts that might adopt a sales tax. The sales tax mainframe system (MITS) would need to be modified to create and maintain "shape files" which would define the boundaries of the district. MITS would need to create



ASSUMPTION (continued)



reports for each district and distribute to each district from the Ambulance District Sales Tax Trust Fund. The MITS system would require 727 hours of programming at a cost of $34,569.



State Data Center implementation costs for testing and programming would be $4,730. Officials

estimate costs for personal services, fringe benefits, equipment and expense for 10 months of FY 2002 at $71,468; and in FY 2003 $31,301; and $32,095 in FY 2003. Officials estimate there would be income from the 1% collection fee, however, income to the State's General Revenue Fund is Unknown.



Officials of the St. Charles and Valle Ambulance Districts assume that for this portion of the proposal there would be income if the voters would approve the sales tax. Officials said there would be election costs.



Section 144.526



Officials from the Department of Public Safety - Division of Fire Safety (DFS) did not respond to our fiscal impact request on this portion of the proposal. However, in responding to a similar proposal this session DFS stated the fire education fund is used to provide firefighter training on a regional basis by contracting with the University of Missouri, Fire and Rescue Training Institute and other regional colleges.



DFS officials stated the fiscal impact for this portion for FY 2002 was unknown at the time this fiscal note was prepared. Estimates for FY 2003 and FY 2004 were based on the sales taxes paid for fireworks in 1999, which was $1,000,684. Assuming a 0% growth rate, the allocation of sales tax revenues would be 60% ($600,410) to the Fire Education Fund and 40% ($400,274) to the Fire Education Trust.



DFS officials state that currently, no funding is being provided to the Fire Education Fund from the current formula of three percent of the growth in premium taxes as compared to1997, since premium tax revenues are not increasing. Therefore, the revenues from the sales taxes of fireworks would be the net impact to the Fire Education Fund and the Fire Education Trust Fund.



Since the change is effective July 1, 2002, Oversight assumes no fiscal impact to the funds for FY 2002. Oversight assumes the one percent sales tax would generate sales tax revenue of $330,226 annually.



Oversight also assumes this proposal would not fiscally impact the Office of Administration.



Section 190.534



ASSUMPTION (continued)



Officials from the Office of Administration assume this portion of the proposal would not fiscally impact their agency.



Department of Health (DOH) officials state there would be expenses for five committee members meeting four times a year. DOH stated this would be $65 for lodging, $45 for meals, and $75 for travel per meeting per member. DOH states section 191.938 requires expenses for 5 committee members meeting 4 times per year. DOH assumes one FTE, Health Program Rep II,

would be needed to provide technical and administrative support to the committee. DOH assumes the administrative and technical support to the committee would be provided using existing resources with DOH's Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.



Oversight assumes the expenses of the committee members would be required.



Section 650.390



Officials of the Department of Revenue stated as a result of this portion of the proposal that if St. Louis County were to establish an Emergency Communications Systems District, and voters would approve a sales tax as its funding source, then the department would normally collect a 1% collection fee, however, this proposal does not provide for the DOR to collect the sales tax or provide for a 1% collection fee to be retained by the DOR.. Officials stated that if an Emergency Communications Systems District were established, and the DOR was to collect the sales tax for the county, there would be no administrative impact because the district has a defined boundary.



Oversight assumes, provided the voters would adopt the imposition of a sales tax, that this proposal does not require the Director of Revenue to collect the sales tax, and does not provide for the retention of a 1% collection fee. Therefore Oversight will show fiscal impact to the Department of Revenue as $0. This proposal does not require St. Louis County to establish an Emergency Communications Systems District.



Officials of the Office of the Director of Administration for St. Louis County stated that this portion of the proposal would not have any fiscal impact for St. Louis County because they are not obligated to set up an Emergency Communications Systems District.



Officials of the University City Police Department, LeMay Fire Protection District, assume this portion of the proposal would have no fiscal impact. Officials assume there would be election costs if voters were asked to approve a funding source.



Officials of the Creve Coeur Police Department, City of Bridgeton Police Department and



ASSUMPTION (continued)



the City of Brentwood Police Department stated that if an Emergency Communication tax were approved by the voters their departments would be able to afford communication equipment that is needed. Officials assume no impact to their departments.



Oversight assumes this portion of the enabling proposal and would require action by St.Louis County along with voter approval of either a 6 cents per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation, or a sales tax that could not exceed one-tenth of one percent before there would be fiscal impact. Oversight assumes there would be income from the tax, and costs of establishing and maintaining an Emergency Communications System.



SECTION - 190.072 : Procedures for Fire Protection District Annexations:



Officials from the Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District, Taney County Ambulance District, Valle Ambulance District and the LeMay Fire Protection District each assume this portion of the proposal would not fiscally impact their respective districts.



Officials of the Office of Secretary of State and the Office is State Courts Administrator assume this portion of the proposal would have no fiscal impact.



Oversight assumes this portion of the proposal is permissive. Before one ambulance district could annex another the governing body of each district would have to approve the annexation, or a petition signed by 75% of the owners of real property in the affected areas requesting that annexation occur would be required. The Circuit Court would then hold a hearing. A plan of compensation would be required for any outstanding debt attributable to the affected area to be annexed. Oversight assumes there would be no local fiscal impact. Oversight assumes the district losing the property tax base would also lose the responsibility of providing ambulance service for that area. The district that would annex another would receive the tax generated from that area, however, the district would inherit the responsibility of providing service to the annexed area. Oversight will show fiscal impact to local governments as zero.



Section 292.606 - Emergency Management Agency



Officials from the Office of Administration - Division of Budget and Planning assume the proposed legislation would have no fiscal impact on their agency.



Officials from the Department of Public Safety - State Emergency Management Agency noted that the numbers reflected are based on the collection of fees from prior years. The Chemical Emergency Preparedness Fund is self-supporting at the current fee structure.

Of the fees collected, the Division of Fire Safety receives 10% which is used for the training of



ASSUMPTION (continued)



firemen, and first responders for hazardous materials incidents. Additionally, local governments receive 65% of the fees collected and, for administration, the Missouri Emergency Response Commission (MERC) receives 25% of the fees collected.





FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 2002

(10 Mo.)

FY 2003 FY 2004
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Income - Department of Revenue
1% sales tax on fireworks sales $0 $330,226 $330,226
Income - Department of Revenue
1% collection fee - fire districts* Unknown Unknown Unknown
Income - Department of Revenue
1% collection fee - ambulance districts* Unknown Unknown Unknown
Loss - General Revenue Fund
Appropriations of grant funds** $0 $0 to (Unknown) $0 to (Unknown)
Transfer Out - sales tax revenue on fireworks
transferred to the Fire Education Fund $0 ($330,226) ($330,226)
Transfer Out - Office of State Treasurer
Premium taxes to Fire Education Fund ($373,000) ($378,500) ($378,500)
Cost - Department of Revenue
Sales tax collection ($29,299) $0 $0
Cost - Department of Revenue
Personal service ( 1.0 FTE ) ($17,660) ($21,722) ($22,265)
Fringe benefits ($5,886) ($7,240) ($7,421)
Equipment ($6,730) $0 $0
Expense ($41,192) ($2,339) ($2,409)
Total Cost - Department of Revenue ($71,468) ($31,301) ($32,095)
Costs - Department of Health
Board meeting expenses (section 190.534) ($3,700) ($3,700) $0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUND***



($477,467)


($413,501)


($410,595)
*This proposal would require voter approval before any fiscal impact would be realized by the State or by Fire Protection Districts.
**Subject to appropriation
***Does not include unknown revenue for collection fees and unknown appropriations of grant funds.
CHEMICAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUND
Income to Department of Public Safety
Continuance of fee collection due to extension of sunset date (Section 292.606) $0 $603,031 $761,724
Cost to Department of Public Safety
Distribution to local governments $0 ($391,971) ($495,120)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON CHEMICAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUND $0 $211,060 $266,604




FIRE EDUCATION FUND
Transfer In - Office of State Treasurer
Premium taxes to Fire Education Fund $373,000 $378,500 $378,500
Revenue - sales tax revenue on fireworks $0 $330,226 $330,226
transferred from General Revenue
Transfer Out - Office of State Treasurer
To Fire District Equipment Fund ($93,250) ($177,182) ($177,182)
Transfer Out - Office of State Treasurer
To Missouri Fire Education Trust Fund ($74,600) ($141,745) ($141,745)
Costs - Department of Public Safety - Division of Fire Safety
Fire education programs ($205,150) ($389,799) ($389,799)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FIRE EDUCATION FUND

$0


$0


$0
FIRE DISTRICT EQUIPMENT FUND
Transfer In - Office of State Treasurer
From Fire Education Fund $93,250 $177,182 $177,182
Costs - Missouri Fire Education Commission
Grants ($93,250) ($177,182) ($177,182)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FIRE DISTRICT EQUIPMENT FUND

$0


$0


$0
MISSOURI FIRE EDUCATION TRUST FUND
Transfer In - Office of State Treasurer
From Fire Education Fund $74,600 $141,745 $141,745
Costs - Office of State Treasurer
Appropriations for fire education programs

($74,600)


($141,745)


($141,745)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON MISSOURI FIRE EDUCATION TRUST FUND



$0




$0




$0


FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 2002

(10 Mo.)

FY 2003 FY 2004
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS
Income - Fire Protection Districts
Grant funds* $0 $0 to Unknown $0 to Unknown
Income - Fire Protection District
Voter approved sales tax** Unknown Unknown Unknown
Loss - Fire Protection District
Property tax reduction of an amount equal to one-half of the total amount of sales tax revenue collected annually**





(Unknown)




(Unknown)
.

(Unknown)

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS



$0 to Unknown


$0 to Unknown


$0 to Unknown
*Subject to appropriation.




* This proposal would require voter approval before fiscal impact would be realized by Fire Protection Districts.
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FUND
Income to Communication System Fund
from either a property tax or sales tax Unknown Unknown Unknown
Cost to Communications System Fund (Unknown) Unknown Unknown
from providing communications equipment to city police and other public safety entities.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FUND



$0




$0




$0
PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES
Income to Public Safety Entities
from Emergency Communication Fund Unknown Unknown Unknown
Cost to Public Safety Entities
from providing Communications (Unknown) (Unknown) (Unknown)
Total costs to Public Safety Entities* $0 $0 $0
* Oversight assumes this proposal is permissive. The income and costs as described above would not occur without action by the governing body, with a voter approved tax.






AMBULANCE DISTRICTS
Income - Ambulance Districts
Voter approved sales tax* Unknown Unknown Unknown
Cost - Ambulance District
Election Costs of Sales Tax vote. (Unknown) (Unknown) ($Unknown)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT TO CERTAIN AMBULANCE DISTRICTS



Unknown




Unknown




Unknown
*Oversight assumes sales tax would exceed the cost of an election, therefore, a positive Unknown is shown. This proposal is not mandatory.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Income to Local Governments
Fees received from Department of Public Safety (Section 292.606) $0 $391,971 $495,120
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

$0 TO UNKNOWN


$391,971 TO UNKNOWN


$495,120 TO UNKNOWN

FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business



A direct positive fiscal impact on certain small businesses may be expected because of possible construction projects that may be implemented due to a portion of this proposal.



Small business located in a fire protection district that would receive voter approval to impose a sales tax would realize a reduction in the property tax for the district and would have the new



FISCAL IMPACT- Small Business



duty of sales tax collection and administration and would pay the sales tax.



Small business located within the boundaries of an ambulance district that has received voter approval to impose a sales tax would expect to be impacted to the extent that they would have additional administrative duties of sales tax administration and they would pay the sales tax.



If St. Louis County were to establish a Communications Commission, and voters would approve either a sales or property tax, small business could expect to pay the tax, and if a sales tax were approved, small business would have additional duties of collecting and paying the sales tax.



Small business located in an ambulance district that would be annexed could realize a tax increase or decrease depending upon the amount of tax levied in each district.



Section 292.606 would impact small businesses currently paying fees for storage of hazardous materials.



DESCRIPTION:



This proposal would make changes to laws governing ambulance services. The proposal would:

(1) Allow, upon voter approval, ambulance boards to increase to 7 members or decrease to 5 or 3 members; (2) Allow for the recall by petition of an ambulance board member. If a board member is recalled, the election authority must order an election for a new member at the next scheduled public election; (3) Remove the requirement that Cass, Bates, Henry, Johnson, and St. Clair counties have a mobile emergency medical technician in the ambulance when transporting a patient; (4) Require most counties to have at least 2 licensed individuals when transporting a patient; (5) Require ambulance owners to notify the Department of Health upon the sale or transfer of any ambulance service license. The department must inspect the new service to verify

compliance with licensure standards; (6) Change requirements for the county letter of endorsement to the department for new ambulance service within unincorporated portions of a

county. The letter must state the public health benefits of the service and show that the service

has the expertise and resources to operate the service; (7) Requires all ambulance services, including services in St.Louis City, to maintain adequate insurance coverage or proof of financial responsibility with adequate reserves maintained. Provisions for the self-insurance of St. Louis City ambulance services are removed; (8) Expand causes for which a complaint may be filed with the Administrative Hearing Commission against an ambulance service; (9) Forbid relicensure of any individual whose license has been revoked twice within a 10-year period; (10) Require a patient care report to be completed for each run on which are entered pertinent remarks by a registered nurse or physician. A patient care report is also required to be given by a health care facility when a patient is transferred to another facility; and (11) Require ambulance services



DESCRIPTION (continued)



to report to the department within 72 hours of their having knowledge of certain felony charges filed against an employee of the licensee. The employee of a service is also required to notify the service of such charges within 72 hours.



The proposal also contains provisions related to the regulation of stretcher van services. A stretcher van service is a person or agency that provides transportation to passengers who are

confined to stretchers vans and whose conditions are not likely to need medical attention during transportation. The proposal would: (1) Require any person, owner, or agent to be licensed by the Department of Health if the person or entity advertises, operates, maintains, engages, or proposes to engage in the transport of persons confined to stretchers. The department can issue such licenses for a period of 5 years; (2) Allow political subdivisions who are authorized to provide ambulance service to adopt ordinances and regulations governing the use of stretcher vans as long as those regulations are as strict as the minimum state standards. Ordinances and

regulations in effect prior to August 28, 2001, may continue to be enforced by any political

subdivision; (3) Allow the governing body in St. Louis County to set standards for all stretcher van services. Any service in the county must be licensed by the state. The county may not

prohibit a licensed service from operating in the county as long as the service meets county standards; (4) Require stretcher vans to operate with a 2-person crew; (5) Require stretcher van operators to immediately contact the appropriate ground ambulance service if a passenger's

medical condition deteriorates; (6) Prohibit services from transporting persons currently

admitted to a hospital or persons being transported to a hospital for admission or emergency treatment; (7) Require the department to establish regulations requiring adequate insurance,

vehicle maintenance and specifications, passenger safety, and service records and reports; (8) Require the department to establish the application forms for stretcher van service licenses in order to ensure compliance with rules; (9) Require services to notify the department upon the sale or transfer of any service license. The department must inspect the new service to verify compliance with licensure standards; (10) Allow the department to refuse to issue or deny renewal of a stretcher van license for failure to comply with the law or any regulation promulgated by the department. Guidelines for disciplinary action and relicensure are established. The department may cause a complaint to be filed with the Administrative Hearing

Commission against a licensee for noncompliance with regulations. Procedures are established for the notification of the applicant that a license has been refused and for the applicant to file a complaint with the Administrative Hearing Commission. An individual whose license has been revoked must wait one year to apply for relicensure. The department may notify any other state in which a person is licensed of a suspended or revoked license in this state; (11) Protect any person or organization from civil damage when in good faith the person provides information to the department regarding stretcher van regulations; (12) Allow the department to suspend a license if the department finds that there is an imminent threat to public health. The department must file a complaint with the Administrative Hearing Commission upon the suspension.



DESCRIPTION (continued)



Procedures are established for the suspension and appeal of such suspension; and (13) Give the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction with all prosecuting attorneys to prosecute persons in violation of these laws and regulations. Injunctive proceedings may be instituted against persons in violation. Persons violating these laws are guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Each day that any violation continues constitutes a separate offense, but the court may stay the cumulative penalties.



This proposal requires the Department of Public Safety to establish a grant program for volunteer fire protection associations and fire protection districts which collected or received less than $10,000 in local tax revenue in the preceding year. The grants may be used for the purchase of equipment and the construction of fire stations. Grants are awarded on a matching fund basis. The fire association or district must show proof of dedication of funds equal to 25% of the amount necessary to complete the project.



Funding for the grant program is subject to appropriation by the General Assembly



Under current law, the Fire Education Fund annually receives an amount equal to 3% of the difference between premium taxes collected from insurance companies during the preceding fiscal year and premium taxes collected from insurance companies during Fiscal Year 1997. The fund may not receive more than $1.5 million from these taxes in any fiscal year. This proposal reduces the Fire Education tax to five-tenths of 1% of the amount of premium taxes collected in the preceding fiscal year. Fifty-five percent of these funds would required to be used for fire

education. The proposal would also establish a subaccount of the Fire Education Fund to be known as the Fire District Equipment Fund. Twenty-five percent of the money transferred to the Fire Education Fund would be deposited in the Fire District Equipment Fund. Money in the

equipment fund would only be used for purposes authorized by the Missouri Fire Education Commission and the Missouri Division of Fire Safety. The division and commission would make grants to aid in funding equipment of any fire department or district with less than $10,000

in revenue per year or any volunteer fire protection association with a population of less than

10,000. The division would administer, regulate, and make rules for the grant program. The proposal outlines criteria for the program rules.



This proposal would allow a fire protection district that provides emergency service to a

redevelopment project in a redevelopment area to impose a retail sales tax of up to one-half of 1% on all sales made in the district, upon voter approval. If a sales tax is approved, it would coincide with a reduction in property taxes equal to 50% of the amount of sales taxes collected. No fire protection district would be authorized to impose a sales tax by the proposal which has not imposed a sales tax prior to August 28, 2000, may impose any new sales tax for fire protection other than the sales tax authorized by the proposal.



DESCRIPTION (continued)



This proposal would allow the governing body of an ambulance district, upon voter approval, to impose a sales tax of up to one-fourth of 1% on all retail sales within the district. The tax would be used solely for the operation of the district.



This proposal would establish the Automated External Defibrillator Advisory Committee. The committee would be required to advise the Department of Health, Office of Administration, and the General Assembly on placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public buildings,

particularly public buildings owned by the state of Missouri or housing state employees, with special consideration given to state office buildings which are accessible to the public. The committee would be required to issue an initial report to the Department of Health, Office of Administration, and the Governor's Office no later than June 1, 2002, and a final report

no later than December 31, 2002. The issues the report should address include cost projections, training personnel in the use of AEDs and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the criteria

used to place AEDs in public buildings. Provisions pertaining to the composition of the committee, selection of the chair, reimbursement of expenses, and the adoption of written by-laws are contained in the proposal. The Department of Health would be required to provide technical and administrative support services required by the committee. The Office of Administration would be required to provide technical support to the committee. The advisory committee would be terminated on June 1, 2003.



This proposal would allow St. Louis County to establish an Emergency Communications System District. The purpose of the Emergency Communications System is to provide a wireless communication network that permits governmental or public safety entities to communicate within the area served. The district would be managed by a seven-member commission appointed by the chief executive officer of the county. The proposal would outline the

qualifications and term of office of commission members and the powers of the commission. The powers of the commission include the issuance of bonds. The issuance of bonds must be approved by the voters of the district. The county, upon voter approval, may levy and collect a sales tax not to exceed one tenth of 1% or a property tax not to exceed 6 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the system. All funds collected from the tax would be deposited in the Emergency Communication System Fund established by the proposal.



This proposal would require an ambulance district board member to be a resident of the district for 2 years and be at least 24 years old. Under current law, an ambulance district board member must be a resident of the state for one year and be at least 21 years old.



This proposal would allow 2 or more contiguous ambulance districts by majority vote of the board in each district or by petition by 75% of the property owners in an affected area to be



DESCRIPTION (continued)



annexed and served by the contiguous district. If found to be in the public interest and after proper notice and hearings, the circuit court in the county in which the affected area is located must approve the transfer. The court cannot approve the change until a plan for debt obligation is agreed upon by the districts. The proposal would also outline other procedures the districts

must follow to complete the transfer of service areas.



Beginning July 1, 2002, this proposal would require all revenues from the one percent sales tax on fireworks to be transferred to the Fire Education Fund. After June 30, 2002, the Fire Education Fund would no longer receive funds from 3% of the growth in insurance premium taxes for the year when compared to 1997.



Fees for the Missouri Emergency Response Commission expire on August 28, 2002. This proposal extends the fees to August 28, 2012. ( Section 292.606 )



Section 34.140 of this proposal would allow the Commissioner of Administration to distribute surplus or unneeded supplies or property to fire departments, including any rural fire department.



Section 67.582 would permit the governing body of any city located within a county which has enacted a countywide sales tax for law enforcement, to impose a sales tax for the purpose of providing law enforcement. This proposal would also allow the monies generated from the sales tax for law enforcement, to be used for fire protection services for the county or its cities.



Section 72.419 provides procedures for Fire Protection Districts which have areas within their districts annexed by a city. The procedures in this proposal would only apply to districts located in Jefferson County. The Fire Protection District would continue providing services to the annexed area, and the city would pay the district an amount equal to that which the Fire Protection District would have levied on all taxable property within the annexed area. The Fire Protection District would no longer collect taxes for any purpose, except for bonded indebtedness of the district, which existed prior to the annexation.



Sections 321.701 and 321.703 provides that each member of a Fire Protection Board would be subject to recall from office if the member would commit acts of misconduct, malfeasance, or nonfeasance relating to official board duties or is convicted of any felony or any class A or class B misdemeanor. Section 321.703 provides the procedure to be followed for a recall.



Section 190.044 that states that no taxpayer would be required to pay property taxes for ground ambulance service to both an ambulance district and a fire protection district or two ambulance districts which operate a ground ambulance service. This Section has been repealed.





DESCRIPTION (continued)



This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.





SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Department of Health

Department of Insurance

Office of Secretary of State

Department of Public Safety- All Divisions

Office of Administration

Office of State Treasurer

Department of Revenue

Vallee Ambulance District

St. Charles County Ambulance District

Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District

Taney County Ambulance District

Valle Ambulance District

LeMay Fire Protection District

Office of Secretary of State

Office of State Courts Administrator

City of Brentwood

Creve Coeur Police Department

City of Bridgeton Police Department

Le May Fire Protection District

University City Police Department

Director of Administration- St. Louis County











Jeanne Jarrett, CPA

Director

May 7, 2001