BWH C.S.H.B. 1601 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS COUNTY AFFAIRS C.S.H.B. 1601 By: Jones, Delwin 4-16-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Currently, the board of managers of the Lubbock County Hospital District, with the approval of the county commissioners court, can lease or sell the hospital owned and operated by the hospital district. Due to a recent trend of private enterprise making purchases of charitable hospitals, H.B. 1601 requires voter approval through the election process before the sale or lease of the Lubbock County Hospital District. PURPOSE As introduced, H.B. 1601 requires voter approval before the board of managers, with the approval of the commissioners court, may order the lease or sale of the Lubbock County Hospital District. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 10, Chapter 484, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967 by providing for Section 10A of this Act. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 484, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967 by adding Section 10A: (a) Provides that the board of managers of the Lubbock County Hospital District, with the approval of the county commissioners court, may by resolution order the lease or sale of a facility operated by the hospital district as a teaching hospital contingent upon voter approval. The board of manager's resolution must include a finding that the lease or sale is in the best interest of the residents of the hospital district. After the resolution is adopted, the Commissioners Court of Lubbock County shall order an election. (b) Provides that the election should be held on the first authorized uniform election date after the 45th day after the election is ordered. (c) Provides language for the ballot. (d) Provides that the board of managers may lease or sell the facility if a majority of the votes case approve the lease or sale. (e) If the majority of votes cast do not approve the lease or sale of the facility, another election may not be held before the first anniversary of the most recent election on the proposition. SECTION 3. Emergency clause; effective immediately. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute amends the original language in Subsection (a) of SECTION 2 whereby it is a "facility"to be used as a teaching hospital on the campus of Texas Tech University , rather than a "hospital", which can be sold or leased by the hospital district. The substitue makes other changes to conform with the change in Subsection (a).