21871 1 ORDINANCE NO. 21,871
2
3 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND LITTLE ROCK, ARK., REV. CODE § 5-
4 72(A) (1988) TO CHANGE THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
5 METROPOLITAN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES; AND, FOR
6 OTHER PURPOSES.
7
8 WHEREAS,the City created the Little Rock,Ark., Emergency Medical Health Care Facilities Board
9 pursuant to Little Rock, Ark. Ordinance No. 14,062 (June 16, 1981), to provide Emergence Medical
10 Services within its jurisdiction;and,
11 WHEREAS, this Facilities Board is also known as the Little Rock Ambulance Authority, and does
12 business in the various cities and counties within the Central Arkansas area under the business name of
13 Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services,and is commonly referred to as MEMS; and,
14 WHEREAS,MEMS is required to carry certain amounts of insurance pursuant to City of Little Rock
15 ordinance which are excessive and are no longer practical or feasible;and,
16 WHEREAS, in its history, MEMS has never reached the limits of its insurance coverage but is
17 currently facing a 61% increase of insurance premiums due to claims, some of which are being currently
18 contested;and,
19 WHEREAS, cities are granted authority to regulate Emergency Medical Services pursuant to the
20 Municipal Ambulance Licensing Act,Ark. Code Ann. §§ 14-266-101,et seq. (West 2004); and,
21 WHEREAS,the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of the City to require
22 MEMS to carry One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) Aggregate Coverage instead of an umbrella policy
23 for the same amount; and,
24 WHEREAS,the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of the City to abolish
25 the requirement that MEMS carry Uninsured Motorist Coverage.
26 NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY
27 OF LITTLE ROCK,ARKANSAS:
28 Section 1. LRC § 5-72 (a) is hereby permanently amended to read as follows:
29 (a)The Authority shall maintain the following insurance:
30 (1) Automobile Liability Insurance in an amount not less than One Hundred Thousand Dollars
31 ($100,000.00) for injury to or death of, one (1) person, by reason of the carelessness or
32 negligence of the driver of such ambulance, and Three Hundred Thousand Dollars
33 ($300,000.00)for injury to,or death of,more than one(1)person,resulting from any single
34 accident, by reason of the carelessness or negligence of the driver of such ambulance,and
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1 Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) for damage to property resulting from any single
2 accident, by reason of the carelessness or negligence of the driver of such ambulance,
3 issued by an insurance company licensed to do business in the state for each and every
4 ambulance owned or operated, or both owned and operated, by the ambulance authority,
5 providing for the payment of damages:
6 a. For injury to or death of individuals in accidents resulting from any cause for which
7 the owner of the vehicle would be liable on account of liability imposed on him by
8 law, regardless of whether the ambulance was being driven by the owner or his
9 agent; and
10 b. For the loss or damage to the property of another under like circumstances.
11 (2) Malpractice Insurance providing a limitation on each claim of not less than Five Hundred
12 Thousand Dollars($500,000.00).
13 (3) One Million Dollars($1,000,000.00)Aggregate Coverage.
14 Section 2. Repealer. All laws,ordinances,resolutions,or parts of the same,that are inconsistent with
15 the provisions of this resolution,are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency including, but not
16 limited to,Little Rock,Ark.,Ordinance No. 14,511 (September 20, 1983)and Little Rock,Ark.,Ordinance
17 No. 17,255 (August 6, 1996).
18 Section 3. Emergency Clause. The ability to efficiently and effectively provide Emergency Medical
19 Health Services to all citizens is essential to the public health, safety, and welfare, and maintaining some
20 control over costs and resources while doing so makes it possible to maintain such an important public
21 service. This ordinance allows the Little Rock Ambulance Authority to permit some modification of the
22 insurance requirement. An emergency, therefore, is declared to exist and this ordnance shall be in full
23 force and effect from and after the date of its passage.
24 PASSED: June 9,2020
25 APPROVED:
261 •
27 41111r
28 Su'an ngley, ►ity Clerk Frank Scott,Jr.,Mayor
29 AP' 'O� DASTOLEGALFORM:
30 `
31
32 Thomas M.Carpenter,City Attorney
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