Relating to a grant program to provide financial assistance to qualified ambulance service providers in certain rural counties.

SB 1377 creates a grant program to provide financial assistance to rural counties in Texas with populations of 68,750 or less. Qualified ambulance service providers in these counties can receive grants up to $500,000 (for counties under 10,000 people) or $350,000 (for counties between 10,000 and 68,750 people) to purchase ambulances. Counties must use the funds exclusively for ambulance purchases within five years and cannot reduce ambulance service budgets with this money. The comptroller administers the program, prioritizing counties farther from trauma centers and those with limited ability to fund ambulance services independently.