SF 1883 deals with the Cooper/ Sams Volunteer Ambulance Award Program.  The Cooper/ Sams Volunteer Ambulance Award is an award given to eligible volunteer ambulance service personnel when the person terminates active ambulance service.  The award that the ambulance service person receives is based on service credits that have been recorded for each ambulance service person.  Annually, the chief administrative officer of the ambulance service is required to verify the performance and the certification of the person to ensure that the person and the service performed qualifies for service credit.  This verification must be in an affidavit and must be verified by August 1 for the service time period of the 12 months immediately preceding June 30.

Section  1 (144E.41) makes a clarifying change to the annual reporting requirements for qualified ambulance service personnel who must report to the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board (EMSRB) the ambulance services performed in order for the service to be recorded and counted as part of the person’s potential longevity award.  The changes clarify that the verification from the chief administrative officer must be in the form of a notarized affidavit and must be submitted to the board by August 1 and that any verification received by the Board after August 1 will not be counted, unless authorized by law.

Section 2 permits qualified ambulance personnel who provided ambulance services during the period of July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010, but who did not receive service credit for this service due to the failure of meeting the verification deadline, to resubmit an affidavit to the board verifying the volunteer service performed by eligible volunteer ambulance personnel so that these persons may receive service credit for this service provided.

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