1. No person, either as owner, agent or otherwise, shall furnish, operate, conduct, maintain, advertise, or otherwise be engaged in or profess to be engaged in the business or service of the transportation of passengers by stretcher van upon the streets, alleys, or any public way or place of the state of Missouri unless such person holds a currently valid license from the department for a stretcher van service issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 190.525 to 190.537 notwithstanding any provisions of chapter 390 or 622 to the contrary.

2. Subsection 1 of this section shall not preclude any political subdivision that is authorized to operate a licensed ambulance service from adopting any law, ordinance or regulation governing the operation of stretcher vans that is at least as strict as the minimum state standards, and no such regulations or ordinances shall prohibit stretcher van services that were legally picking up passengers within a political subdivision prior to January 1, 2002, from continuing to operate within that political subdivision and no political subdivision which did not regulate or prohibit stretcher van services as of January 1, 2002, shall implement unreasonable regulations or ordinances to prevent the establishment and operation of such services.

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3. In any county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, the governing body of the county shall set reasonable standards for all stretcher van services which shall comply with subsection 2 of this section. All such stretcher van services must be licensed by the department. The governing body of such county shall not prohibit a licensed stretcher van service from operating in the county, as long as the stretcher van service meets county standards.

4. Nothing shall preclude the enforcement of any laws, ordinances or regulations of any political subdivision authorized to operate a licensed ambulance service that were in effect prior to August 28, 2001.

5. Stretcher van services may transport passengers.

6. (1) A stretcher van shall be staffed by at least two individuals when transporting passengers.

(2) All stretcher vans shall be equipped with an automated external defibrillator and shall be staffed by at least one individual who is trained in the use of an automated external defibrillator.

(3) Any political subdivision that is authorized to operate a licensed ambulance service shall adopt a law, ordinance or regulation for stretcher vans that is at least as strict as the minimum requirements in subdivision (2) of this subsection regarding automated external defibrillators.

7. The crew of the stretcher van is required to immediately contact the appropriate ground ambulance service if a passenger’s condition deteriorates.

8. Stretcher van services shall not transport patients, persons currently admitted to a hospital or persons being transported to a hospital for admission or emergency treatment.

9. The department of health and senior services shall promulgate regulations, including but not limited to adequate insurance, on-board equipment, vehicle staffing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle specifications, vehicle communications, passenger safety and records and reports.

10. The department of health and senior services shall issue service licenses for a period of no more than five years for each service meeting the established rules.

11. Application for a stretcher van license shall be made upon such forms as prescribed by the department in rules adopted pursuant to sections 190.525 to 190.537. The application form shall contain such information as the department deems necessary to make a determination as to whether the stretcher van agency meets all the requirements of sections 190.525 to 190.537 and rules promulgated pursuant to sections 190.525 to 190.537. The department shall conduct an inspection of the stretcher van service to verify compliance with the licensure standards of sections 190.525 to 190.537.

12. Upon the sale or transfer of any stretcher van service ownership, the owner of the stretcher van service shall notify the department of the change in ownership within thirty days prior to the sale or transfer. The department shall conduct an inspection of the stretcher van service to verify compliance with the licensure standards of sections 190.525 to 190.537.

13. Ambulance services licensed pursuant to this chapter or any rules promulgated by the department of health and senior services pursuant to this chapter may provide stretcher van and wheelchair transportation services pursuant to sections 190.525 to 190.537.

14. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2002, shall be invalid and void.