1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:

   1. (1) Emergency medical services are an essential public service and a part of the health care safety net for many residents of this state.
   2. (2) It is in the public interest to assure that high quality emergency and urgent medical services are readily available to the residents of this state to prevent death and reduce suffering and disability which arise from severe illness and injury.
   3. (3) The public interest is best achieved through the delivery of emergency medical services through a coordinated emergency medical services system.

   4. (4) The transportation of both emergency and non-emergency patients is an integral part of the health care delivery system in this state, and it is in the public interest that the emergency medical services system serve all of the following persons in this state:

      1. a. Any individual who requires immediate medical care to address illness or injury.
      2. b. Any individual who needs transportation to a hospital or other health care provider to receive that care.
      3. c. Any individual who requires medical assessment, monitoring, assistance, treatment, or observation during transportation by trained emergency medical personnel.
   5. (5) It serves the public interest if the emergency medical services system is able to quickly adapt and evolve to meet the needs of the resident of this state for emergency and urgent medical care and to reduce the effect of illness and injury.
   6. (6) It serves the public interest if the emergency medical services system provides community-based health promotion services that are integrated with the overall health care system.
   7. (7) Emergency medical services should be acknowledged, promoted, and supported as an essential service and any eligible funding should be available for emergency medical services without any distinction between the public or private sectors of emergency medical services.
2. (b) Based on the foregoing, the Legislature formally declares that emergency medical services delivered by both the public and private sector, including ambulance services, are essential services in this state for the public welfare and public safety of the residents of this state and that all emergency medical services are delivered for a public purpose.
3. (c) Nothing in this section requires a county commission to fund or otherwise provide emergency medical services or ambulance services.

(Act 2022-106, §1.)