FISCAL NOTE

Date Requested: January 11, 2019
Time Requested: 02:16 PM
Agency: County Commissioners' Association of West Virginia
CBD Number: Version: Bill Number: Resolution Number:
1737 Introduced HB2312
CBD Subject: Counties


FUND(S):

Special emergency ambulance service fee

Sources of Revenue:

Special Fund

Legislation creates:

Creates New Revenue, Increases Revenue From Existing Sources



Fiscal Note Summary


Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.


This bill would provide methods for collection of delinquent ambulance fees through filing an action in magistrate court or placement of a judgement lien. The bill would eliminate the requirement of a county to pay court costs and fees associated with these processes. When found to be lawfully liable for such fees, the court fees related to collection will be imposed upon the person found to be delinquent. Therefore, there would be no added court cost expense to the county, for this process. This bill further authorizes a county to set a fee for those calls made for emergency ambulance service where a person has signed a "refusal," not to exceed $300 per call. Dependent upon the number of calls where transport is refused, times the amount of the actual fee set by a particular county commission, this bill could result in additional revenue collections to the special emergency ambulance fee fund for the purposes of paying reasonable and necessary expenses in providing emergency ambulance service to county residents as outlined in WV Code 7-15-17.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2019
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2020
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 0 0 0
Personal Services 0 0 0
Current Expenses 0 0 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0
2. Estimated Total Revenues 0 0 0


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):


There would be no added court cost expense to the county for collecting delinquent ambulance service fees. Dependent upon the number of calls where transport is refused, times the amount of the actual fee set by a particular county commission (not to exceed $300 per call), this bill could result in additional revenue collections to the County special emergency ambulance fee fund.



Memorandum


The Association does not have access to the number of delinquent ambulance service fees, county by county or total state-wide. Further, we have no way of knowing how many counties would pursue this new method and how frequently. At the same time, it is impossible to know how many service calls are or will be refused. It is safe to assume, that adding this method of collection without requiring court costs be paid by the county and allowing for a fee for those that call for, but refuse transport, will allow the counties a method to collect additional revenue to support the provision of emergency ambulance service in their counties.



    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Vivian Parsons, Exec Dir, CCAWV
    Email Address: vivian@ccawv.org