LIST OF QUALIFIED TRANSPORTATION SERVICE PROVIDERS

(a) The commissioners court of a county may: (1) establish and maintain a list of qualified transportation service providers that a court may authorize or with whom a person may contract to transport a person to a mental health facility in accordance with Section 574.045; (2) establish an application procedure for a person to be included on the list, including an appropriate application fee to be deposited in the county general fund; (3) contract with qualified transportation service providers on terms acceptable to the county; (4) allow officers and employees of the county to utilize persons on the list on a rotating basis if the officer or employee is authorized to provide transportation under Section 574.045 and chooses to utilize a qualified transportation service provider in accordance with the terms of the contract approved by the commissioners court; and (5) ensure that the list is made available to any person authorized to provide transportation under Section 574.045. (b) The executive commissioner shall prescribe uniform standards: (1) that a person must meet to be listed as a qualified transportation service provider under Subsection (a); and (2) prescribing requirements relating to how the transportation of a person to a mental health facility by a qualified transportation service provider is provided.