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 * * * * *