Emergency medical services: trauma center: helicopter landing pad.

Existing law, the Emergency Medical Services System and Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act, establishes the Emergency Medical Services Authority within the California Health and Human Services Agency to, among other things, provide statewide coordination of county emergency medical service programs, including, but not limited to, designated trauma centers, and to administer the Trauma Care Fund. Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, among other things, authorizes the legislative body of a city or county to adopt zoning ordinances regulating, among other things, the use of buildings, structures, and land as between industry, business, residences, open space, and other uses. Existing law sets forth related public hearing requirements. This bill would permit an EMS agency to submit a request of notification to a city, county, or city and county for notice of any zoning variance, permit, amendment, or entitlement for use that would permit the construction or operation of a heliport or helipad on the property of a general acute care hospital. The bill would also permit the local EMS agency, or an EMS agency from a county adjacent to the proposed heliport or helipad, after receiving the notice, to prepare a report, as specified, to consult with representatives of the city, county, or city and county regarding that report, and to provide written comments and appear at a hearing regarding the proposed construction or operation of a heliport or helipad. By increasing the duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.