(1) A dedicated fund is hereby established within the state treasury to be known as the ambulance transport fund. The purpose and use of the fund shall be to receive and disburse funds, together with accrued interest, in accordance with this chapter. Moneys in the fund, including interest earned, shall not be used or disbursed for any purposes other than those specified in this chapter. Any amounts expended from the fund that are later recouped by the authority on audit or otherwise shall be returned to the fund. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.

(2) The quality assurance fees collected by the authority pursuant to RCW 74.70.050 must be deposited in the ambulance transport fund.

(3) The moneys in the ambulance transport fund, including any interest and dividends earned on money in the fund, shall be available exclusively for the following purposes in the following order of priority:

(a) To provide funding in an amount not to exceed ten percent of the annual quality assurance fee rate collection amount, exclusive of any federal matching funds, for health care coverage for Washingtonians and for the authority's staffing and administrative costs directly attributable to administering this chapter; and

(b) To make increased payments to ambulance transport providers pursuant to RCW 74.70.060.

Contingent expiration date—2020 c 354: See RCW 74.70.100(4)(b).