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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
ground ambulances; registration
Purpose
Allows an ambulance certificate of registration (certificate) to remain valid and in effect pending certain action by the Department of Health Services (DHS).
Background
DHS must adopt rules to regulate the operation of ambulances and ambulance services, including: 1) determining, fixing, altering and regulating just, reasonable and sufficient rates and charges for ambulances; 2) regulating operating and response times of ambulances to meet the needs of the public and to ensure adequate service; 3) issuing, amending, transferring, suspending or revoking certificates of necessity; and 4) inspecting, at a maximum of 12-month intervals, each registered ambulance to ensure that the vehicle and all required medical equipment is operational and safe (A.R.S. § 36-2232).
A person must not operate an ambulance in Arizona unless the ambulance has a certificate and complies with all statutory rules, standards and criteria. A person may obtain a certificate to operate an ambulance by submitting an application on a form prescribed by the Director of DHS (Director), paying an initial registration fee and by demonstrating to the Director's satisfaction that the applicant is in compliance with all rules, standards and criteria adopted by the Director for the operation of an ambulance. The certificate is valid for one year.
An ambulance service may request an initial certificate that expires before the end of one year in order for DHS to conduct an annual inspection of all of the ambulance service's ambulances at one time (A.R.S. § 36-2212).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1.
States that, if the certificate holder submits a complete renewal
application in compliance with statutory requirements and adopted
administrative rules and DHS is unable to perform an inspection of an ambulance
within the prescribed time frame, DHS may allow an ambulance's registration to
remain valid and in effect until DHS completes the required inspection.
2. Requires DHS to consider the expired registration, for an active certificate of necessity holder that failed to submit registration renewal applications with DHS, whose certificates lapsed between March 31, 2022, and August 1, 2024, and whose ambulances are now registered accordingly, as valid and in effect during the period of expiration if the certificate holder pays DHS all lapsed application fees that are owed for the time period in which the certificates had lapsed and were not renewed.
3. Repeals the ambulance certification validity requirements on January 1st, 2026
4. Makes technical changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Specifies that, if the certificate holder submits a complete renewal application in compliance with statutory requirements and adopted administrative rules and DHS is unable to perform an inspection within the prescribed time frame, DHS may allow an ambulances registration to remain valid and in effect until DHS completes the required inspection.
2. Removes the stipulation that DHS' failure to issue a certificate or a renewal certificate within the time frames established by DHS rule does not invalidate or delay the effective date of the certificate.
4. Removes the statement of legislative intent.
5. Removes the retroactivity clause.
6. Repeals the ambulance certification validity requirements on January 1st, 2026.
House Action Senate Action
COM 2/18/25 DP 6-3-0-1 RAGE 3/26/25 DPA 7-0-0
3rd Read 3/3/25 37-21-2
(W/O emergency)
Prepared by Senate Research
March 26, 2025
JT/JRM/ci