1-1     By:  Jones of Lubbock (Senate Sponsor - Duncan)       H.B. No. 2961
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 1999;
 1-3     May 12, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Intergovernmental Relations; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by
 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to
 1-6     printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the board of hospital managers of the Lubbock County
1-10     Hospital District.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Section 8, Chapter 484, Acts of the 60th
1-13     Legislature, Regular Session, 1967, is amended to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 8.  BOARD OF HOSPITAL MANAGERS.  (a)  The commissioners
1-15     court and the Texas Tech University board of regents shall appoint
1-16     a board of hospital managers, consisting of not less than five nor
1-17     more than seven members, who shall serve for a term of two years,
1-18     with overlapping terms if desired, and with initial appointments to
1-19     terms of office arranged accordingly, without pay, and whose duties
1-20     shall be to manage, control and administer the hospital or hospital
1-21     system, including medical facilities or other health facilities, of
1-22     the hospital district.  The Texas Tech University board of regents
1-23     shall appoint one ex officio member and the commissioners court
1-24     shall appoint the remaining members.  The ex officio member
1-25     appointed by the Texas Tech University board of regents shall have
1-26     all powers of a member of the board, except that the member may not
1-27     vote.  The ex officio member shall attend executive sessions of the
1-28     board, shall have access to all documents reviewed or considered by
1-29     the board or its staff, and shall have any and all other powers of
1-30     a member of the board with the exception of voting.  The board of
1-31     managers shall have the power and authority to sue and be sued and
1-32     to promulgate rules and regulations for the operation of the
1-33     hospital or hospital system, including medical facilities or other
1-34     health facilities.
1-35           (b)  The board shall appoint a general manager, to be known
1-36     as the administrator of the hospital district.  The administrator
1-37     shall hold office for a term not to exceed two years, and shall
1-38     receive such compensation as may be fixed by the board.  The
1-39     administrator shall be subject to removal at any time by the board.
1-40     The administrator shall, before entering into the discharge of his
1-41     duties, execute a bond payable to the district, in the amount of
1-42     not less than $10,000, conditioned that he shall well and
1-43     faithfully perform the duties required of him, and containing such
1-44     other conditions as the board may require.  The administrator shall
1-45     perform all duties which may be required of him by the board, and
1-46     shall supervise all of the work and activities of the district and
1-47     have general direction of the affairs of the district, within such
1-48     limitations as may be prescribed by the board.  He shall be a
1-49     person qualified by training and experience for the position of
1-50     administrator.
1-51           (c)  The board of managers shall have the authority to
1-52     appoint to the staff such doctors, and employ such technicians,
1-53     nurses and other employees of every kind and character as may be
1-54     deemed advisable for the efficient operation of the hospital or
1-55     hospital system, including medical facilities or other health
1-56     facilities; provided that no contract or term of employment shall
1-57     exceed the period of two years.
1-58           (d)  The board of managers, with the approval of the
1-59     commissioners court shall be authorized to contract with any county
1-60     for care and treatment of such county's sick, diseased and injured
1-61     persons, and with the state and agencies of the federal government
1-62     for the care and treatment of such persons for whom the state and
1-63     such agencies of the federal government are responsible.  Further,
1-64     under the same conditions, the board of managers may enter into
 2-1     such contracts with the state and federal government as may be
 2-2     necessary to establish or continue a retirement program for the
 2-3     benefit of its employees.
 2-4           (e)  A majority of the board of hospital managers shall
 2-5     constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.  From
 2-6     among its members, the board shall choose a chairman, who shall
 2-7     preside; or in his absence a chairman pro tem shall preside; and
 2-8     the administrator or any member of the board may be appointed
 2-9     secretary.  The board shall require the secretary to keep suitable
2-10     records of all proceedings of each meeting of the board.  Such
2-11     record shall be read and signed after each meeting by the chairman
2-12     or the member presiding, and attested by the secretary.  The board
2-13     shall have a seal, on which shall be engraved the name of the
2-14     hospital district; and said seal shall be kept by the secretary and
2-15     used in authentication of all acts of the board.
2-16           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-17           (b)  The change in law made by this Act relating to the
2-18     composition of the board of hospital managers of the Lubbock County
2-19     Hospital District does not affect the eligibility of a member
2-20     serving immediately before the effective date of this Act to
2-21     continue to serve on the board for the term to which the member was
2-22     appointed.  The Texas Tech University board of regents shall
2-23     appoint a member to the board of hospital managers in accordance
2-24     with Section 8, Chapter 484, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular
2-25     Session, 1967, as amended by this Act, to fill the next vacancy
2-26     that occurs after the effective date of this Act.
2-27           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-28     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-29     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-30     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-31     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-32                                  * * * * *