(210 ILCS 50/2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5502)

Sec. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that it is the intent of this legislation to provide the State with systems for emergency medical services by establishing within the State Department of Public Health a central authority responsible for the coordination and integration of all activities within the State concerning pre-hospital and inter-hospital emergency medical services, as well as non-emergency medical transports, and the overall planning, evaluation, and regulation of pre-hospital emergency medical services systems.

The provisions of this Act shall not be construed to deny emergency medical services to persons outside the boundaries of this State nor to limit, restrict, or prevent any cooperative agreement for the provision of emergency medical services between this State, or any of its political subdivisions, and any other State or its political subdivisions or a federal agency.

The provisions of this Act shall not be construed to regulate the emergency transportation of persons by friends or family members, in personal vehicles that are not ambulances, specialized emergency medical service vehicles, first response vehicles or medical carriers.

This legislation is intended to provide minimum standards for the statewide delivery of EMS services. It is recognized, however, that diversities exist between different areas of the State, based on geography, location of health care facilities, availability of personnel, and financial resources. The Legislature therefore intends that the implementation and enforcement of this Act by the Illinois Department of Public Health accommodate those varying needs and interests to the greatest extent possible without jeopardizing appropriate standards of medical care, through the Department's exercise of the waiver provision of this Act and its adoption of rules pursuant to this Act.

(Source: P.A. 88-1; 89-177, eff. 7-19-95.)