32.1-111.14 - Powers of governing bodies of counties, cities and towns.
§ 32.1-111.14. Powers of governing bodies of counties, cities and towns.
A. Upon finding as fact, after notice and public hearing, that exercise ofthe powers enumerated below is necessary to assure the provision of adequateand continuing emergency services and to preserve, protect and promote thepublic health, safety and general welfare, the governing body of any countyor city is empowered to:
1. Enact an ordinance making it unlawful to operate emergency medicalservices vehicles or any class thereof established by the Board in suchcounty or city without having been granted a franchise or permit to do so;
2. Grant franchises or permits to agencies based within or outside the countyor city; however, any agency in operation in any county or city on June 28,1968, that continues to operate as such, up to and including the effectivedate of any ordinance adopted pursuant to this section, and that submits tothe governing body of the county or city satisfactory evidence of suchcontinuing operation, shall be granted a franchise or permit by suchgoverning body to serve at least that part of the county or city in which theagency has continuously operated if all other requirements of this articleare met;
3. Limit the number of emergency medical services vehicles to be operatedwithin the county or city and by any agency;
4. Determine and prescribe areas of franchised or permitted service withinthe county or city;
5. Fix and change from time to time reasonable charges for franchised orpermitted services;
6. Set minimum limits of liability insurance coverage for emergency medicalservices vehicles;
7. Contract with franchised or permitted agencies for transportation to berendered upon call of a county or municipal agency or department and fortransportation of bona fide indigents or persons certified by the local boardof social services to be public assistance or social services recipients; and
8. Establish other necessary regulations consistent with statutes orregulations of the Board relating to operation of emergency medical servicesvehicles.
B. In addition to the powers set forth above, the governing body of anycounty or city is authorized to provide, or cause to be provided, services ofemergency medical services vehicles; to own, operate and maintain emergencymedical services vehicles; to make reasonable charges for use of emergencymedical services vehicles, including charging insurers for ambulance servicesas authorized by § 38.2-3407.9; and to contract with any agency for theservices of its emergency medical services vehicles.
C. Any incorporated town may exercise, within its corporate limits only, allthose powers enumerated in subsections A and B either upon the request of atown to the governing body of the county wherein the town lies and upon theadoption by the county governing body of a resolution permitting suchexercise, or after 180 days' written notice to the governing body of thecounty if the county is not exercising such powers at the end of such 180-dayperiod.
D. No county ordinance enacted, or other county action taken, pursuant topowers granted herein shall be effective within an incorporated town in suchcounty which is at the time exercising such powers until 180 days afterwritten notice to the governing body of the town.
E. Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize any county to regulate inany manner emergency medical services vehicles owned and operated by a townor to authorize any town to regulate in any manner emergency medical servicesvehicles owned and operated by a county.
F. Any emergency medical services vehicles operated by a county, city or townunder authority of this section shall be subject to the provisions of thisarticle and to the regulations of the Board adopted thereunder.
(1996, c. 899; 2002, c. 747; 2005, c. 182.)