Sec. 780.004. PAYMENTS FROM THE ACCOUNT. (a) The commissioner:
(1) with advice and counsel from the chairpersons of the trauma service area regional advisory councils, shall use money appropriated from the account established under this chapter to fund designated trauma facilities, county and regional emergency medical services, and trauma care systems in accordance with this section; and
(2) after consulting with the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, may transfer to an account in the general revenue fund money appropriated from the account established under this chapter to maximize the receipt of federal funds under the medical assistance program established under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, and to fund provider reimbursement payments as provided by Subsection (j).
(a-1) A grant recipient may not before the fourth anniversary of the date a grant is awarded under Subsection (a) dispose of an ambulance for which the total costs of purchasing the ambulance were paid only from grants awarded under Subsection (a) or Section 773.122(a) unless the grant recipient obtains the department's prior approval.
(b) In each fiscal year, the commissioner shall reserve $500,000 of any money appropriated from the account for
extraordinary emergencies. Money that is not spent in a fiscal year shall be transferred to the reserve for the following fiscal year.
(c) In any fiscal year, the commissioner shall use at least 96 percent of the money appropriated from the account, after any amount the commissioner is required by Subsection (b) to reserve is deducted, to fund a portion of the uncompensated trauma care provided at facilities designated as state trauma facilities by the department or an undesignated facility in active pursuit of designation. Funds may be disbursed under this subsection based on a proportionate share of uncompensated trauma care provided in the state and may be used to fund innovative projects to enhance the delivery of patient care in the overall emergency medical services and trauma care system.
(d) In any fiscal year, the commissioner shall use not more than two percent of the money appropriated from the account, after any amount the commissioner is required by Subsection (b) to reserve is deducted, to fund, in connection with an effort to provide coordination with the appropriate trauma service area, the cost of supplies, operational expenses, education and training, equipment, vehicles, and communications systems for local emergency medical services. The money shall be distributed on behalf of eligible recipients in each county to the trauma service area regional advisory council for that county. To receive a distribution under this subsection, the regional advisory council must be incorporated as an entity that is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and its subsequent amendments, by being listed as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of that code. The share of the money allocated to the eligible recipients in a county's geographic area shall be based on the relative geographic size and population of the county and on the relative number of emergency or trauma care runs performed by eligible recipients in the county. Money that is not disbursed by a regional advisory council to eligible recipients for approved functions by the end of the fiscal
year in which the funds were disbursed may be retained by the regional advisory council for use in the following fiscal year in accordance with this subsection. Money that is not disbursed by the regional advisory council in that following fiscal year shall be returned to the department to be used in accordance with Subsection (c).
(e) In any fiscal year, the commissioner may use not more than one percent of the money appropriated from the account, after any amount the commissioner is required by Subsection (b) to reserve is deducted, for operation of the 22 trauma service areas and for equipment, communications, and education and training for the areas. Money distributed under this subsection shall be distributed on behalf of eligible recipients in each county to the trauma service area regional advisory council for that county. To receive a distribution under this subsection, the regional advisory council must be incorporated as an entity that is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and its subsequent amendments, by being listed as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of that code. A regional advisory council's share of money distributed under this section shall be based on the relative geographic size and population of each trauma service area and on the relative amount of trauma care provided. Money that is not disbursed by a regional advisory council to eligible recipients for approved functions by the end of the fiscal year in which the funds were disbursed may be retained by the regional advisory coun