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HB 1949

Coastal storm risk management; Off. of Commonwealth Resilience to study cost of feasibility study.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Phil Hernandez

Arkansas HB 1949 would exempt medical, emergency medical, and ambulance services from competitive bidding for local governments, enabling noncompetitive EMS procurements.

Tabled in Rules (14-Y 0-N)
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Bill Summary · HB 1949

HB 1949 — Summary

  • Bill number: HB 1949
  • Short title / intent: Amend procurement law to add medical, emergency medical, and ambulance services to the list of professional services exempt from competitive bidding.
  • Sponsors: Rep. Schulz; Sen. K. Hammer (primary)
  • Introduced: January 17, 2025
  • Final status (per provided record): Died in committee / died in Senate committee at sine die adjournment (May 5, 2025).
  • Note: The provided document includes text and procedural entries from more than one state and multiple unrelated measures (including an Illinois FY26 $2 appropriation bill and a referenced City of Columbus appropriation). The summary below focuses on the Arkansas statutory change that is the core substantive text in the packet.

Main purpose

To expand the existing list of professional services that political subdivisions (cities, counties, other local governments) may procure without using competitive bidding procedures by explicitly adding medical, emergency medical, and ambulance services to that list.

Key provisions (substantive change)

  • Amends Arkansas Code § 19-11-801(b) and § 19-11-802(c)(1).
  • Adds the following to the list of professional services for which competitive bidding is not required:
    • medical services,
    • emergency medical services,
    • ambulance services.
  • The change places these services alongside existing exemptions such as legal, financial advisory, architectural, engineering, construction management, and land surveying professional consultant services — meaning political subdivisions may use qualifications-based or direct selection processes rather than formal competitive bidding for those services.

Who would be affected

  • Political subdivisions in Arkansas (municipalities, counties, school districts, special districts, and other local government entities that procure professional services).
  • Providers of medical, emergency medical, and ambulance services (private ambulance companies, hospital-affiliated providers, EMS contractors).
  • Residents and service users insofar as procurement approach can affect availability, quality, pricing, and response arrangements for emergency medical services.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Procurement processes: Allows local governments to select EMS/ambulance providers without formal competitive bidding, enabling sole-source, qualifications-based, or negotiated agreements similar to those used for other professional services.
  • Competition and cost: Could reduce the use of price-competition and formal bids; impacts on cost depend on local practices and contracting oversight.
  • Service continuity and quality: May enable quicker contract renewals or selections that prioritize qualifications, experience, or interoperability with local emergency systems.
  • Transparency and accountability: Removing competitive-bidding requirements can raise concerns about transparency, fairness, and potential for higher costs without appropriate disclosure or oversight mechanisms.
  • Legal/administrative implementation: Local procurement officers and counsel would need to determine procedures, documentation, and justification when using noncompetitive procurements for these services.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • The provided legislative-action list contains multiple, sometimes conflicting entries across different committees and even different states. For the Arkansas-focused procurement amendment, committee consideration occurred in spring 2025, but the measure did not become law and is recorded as having died in committee (sine die adjournment May 5, 2025).
  • Because the document packet mixes content from multiple bills and jurisdictions, consult the official state legislature website (Arkansas General Assembly) for authoritative bill text, amendment history, and final disposition.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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