Sec. 774.003.  EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDED BY COUNTIES.  (a)  The commissioners court of a county may provide for emergency ambulance service in the county, including the provision of necessary equipment, personnel, and maintenance for the service.
(b)  In providing for the services authorized by Subsection (a), a commissioners court may enter into exclusive agreements with any municipality, hospital district, sheriff's office, fire department, private ambulance service, or other agency or entity that the commissioners court finds to be suitably organized to provide efficient emergency ambulance service in the county.  The governing body of a municipality or hospital district in which emergency ambulance service is to be rendered must approve an agreement made with the commissioners court to provide that service in the municipality or hospital district.
(c)  A commissioners court operating under this section may expend county funds to defray the expense of establishing, operating, and maintaining the emergency ambulance service in the county.  The funds may be expended whether the service is provided directly by the county or by agreement with some other governmental agency or private entity.
(d)  A commissioners court providing emergency ambulance service under this section shall establish reasonable fees for the service.  The commissioners court or any other agency or entity performing the service may charge and collect the fees.
(e)  A commissioners court may make special provisions for rendering emergency ambulance service to indigent persons.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 915, Sec. 20, eff. Aug. 28, 1995.