State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) is pleased to announce that his legislation to help save volunteer rescue squads in rural areas of the state passed the House unanimously and is now in the Senate for consideration. The legislation would allow rescue squads to fix, charge, and collect fees for rescue squad and ambulance services not exceeding the reasonable cost of the service.
“We have to do everything we can to ensure that rural areas have viable emergency services. This will allow rescue squads, providing medical services, to recoup the reasonable cost of the service; similar to volunteer fire departments,” explained Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer. “This idea came to me from the Meredosia-Bluffs Rescue Squad, a volunteer service, to provide a much needed revenue source to rescue squads, particularly in rural parts of our state.”
Rep. Davidsmeyer pointed out this would provide parity with fire districts. Fire districts are permitted to charge residents and non-resident fees, but currently, Rescue Squads that perform similar services, do not have the same fee options as Fire Protection Districts.
House Bill 2972 has been assigned to the Illinois Senate Local Government Committee and is scheduled for a public hearing at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19.