By Jones of Lubbock H.B. No. 2961
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the board of hospital managers of the Lubbock County
1-3 Hospital District.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 8, Chapter 484, Acts of the 60th
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1967, is amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 8. BOARD OF HOSPITAL MANAGERS. (a) The commissioners
1-8 court and the Texas Tech University board of regents shall appoint
1-9 a board of hospital managers, consisting of not less than five nor
1-10 more than seven members, who shall serve for a term of two years,
1-11 with overlapping terms if desired, and with initial appointments to
1-12 terms of office arranged accordingly, without pay, and whose duties
1-13 shall be to manage, control and administer the hospital or hospital
1-14 system, including medical facilities or other health facilities, of
1-15 the hospital district. The Texas Tech University board of regents
1-16 shall appoint one ex officio member and the commissioners court
1-17 shall appoint the remaining members. The ex officio member
1-18 appointed by the Texas Tech University board of regents shall have
1-19 all powers of a member of the board, except that the member may not
1-20 vote. The ex officio member shall attend executive sessions of the
1-21 board, shall have access to all documents reviewed or considered by
1-22 the board or its staff, and shall have any and all other powers of
1-23 a member of the board with the exception of voting. The board of
1-24 managers shall have the power and authority to sue and be sued and
2-1 to promulgate rules and regulations for the operation of the
2-2 hospital or hospital system, including medical facilities or other
2-3 health facilities.
2-4 (b) The board shall appoint a general manager, to be known
2-5 as the administrator of the hospital district. The administrator
2-6 shall hold office for a term not to exceed two years, and shall
2-7 receive such compensation as may be fixed by the board. The
2-8 administrator shall be subject to removal at any time by the board.
2-9 The administrator shall, before entering into the discharge of his
2-10 duties, execute a bond payable to the district, in the amount of
2-11 not less than $10,000, conditioned that he shall well and
2-12 faithfully perform the duties required of him, and containing such
2-13 other conditions as the board may require. The administrator shall
2-14 perform all duties which may be required of him by the board, and
2-15 shall supervise all of the work and activities of the district and
2-16 have general direction of the affairs of the district, within such
2-17 limitations as may be prescribed by the board. He shall be a
2-18 person qualified by training and experience for the position of
2-19 administrator.
2-20 (c) The board of managers shall have the authority to
2-21 appoint to the staff such doctors, and employ such technicians,
2-22 nurses and other employees of every kind and character as may be
2-23 deemed advisable for the efficient operation of the hospital or
2-24 hospital system, including medical facilities or other health
2-25 facilities; provided that no contract or term of employment shall
2-26 exceed the period of two years.
2-27 (d) The board of managers, with the approval of the
3-1 commissioners court shall be authorized to contract with any county
3-2 for care and treatment of such county's sick, diseased and injured
3-3 persons, and with the state and agencies of the federal government
3-4 for the care and treatment of such persons for whom the state and
3-5 such agencies of the federal government are responsible. Further,
3-6 under the same conditions, the board of managers may enter into
3-7 such contracts with the state and federal government as may be
3-8 necessary to establish or continue a retirement program for the
3-9 benefit of its employees.
3-10 (e) A majority of the board of hospital managers shall
3-11 constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. From
3-12 among its members, the board shall choose a chairman, who shall
3-13 preside; or in his absence a chairman pro tem shall preside; and
3-14 the administrator or any member of the board may be appointed
3-15 secretary. The board shall require the secretary to keep suitable
3-16 records of all proceedings of each meeting of the board. Such
3-17 record shall be read and signed after each meeting by the chairman
3-18 or the member presiding, and attested by the secretary. The board
3-19 shall have a seal, on which shall be engraved the name of the
3-20 hospital district; and said seal shall be kept by the secretary and
3-21 used in authentication of all acts of the board.
3-22 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
3-23 (b) The change in law made by this Act relating to the
3-24 composition of the board of hospital managers of the Lubbock County
3-25 Hospital District does not affect the eligibility of a member
3-26 serving immediately before the effective date of this Act to
3-27 continue to serve on the board for the term to which the member was
4-1 appointed. The Texas Tech University board of regents shall
4-2 appoint a member to the board of hospital managers in accordance
4-3 with Section 8, Chapter 484, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular
4-4 Session, 1967, as amended by this Act, to fill the next vacancy
4-5 that occurs after the effective date of this Act.
4-6 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.