BILL ANALYSIS
By: Hilderbran
Committee Report (Unammended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Schleicher County Hospital District was authorized and created by Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967, by authority set out in the Texas Constitution. The hospital district was charged with the responsibility of establishing a hospital and hospital system within its boundaries and to furnish a hospital and medical care to the residents of the district. Since its creation the Schleicher County Hospital District has served its residents well. However, the enabling legislation is binding and does not allow for updating. The current board of directors has requested changes to the enabling legislation to allow for broader operations similar to other hospitals.
The purpose of HB 2587 is to update the Schleicher County Hospital District’s enabling legislation.
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.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 1, Chapter 38, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967, to allow the district, on approval of the board of directors, to provide services outside the boundaries of the district if the services provided serve the district.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 3, Chapter 38, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967, to provide that the board of directors consists of seven directors to be elected at large to serve staggered two year terms, until a successor has been duly elected or appointed. Strikes outdated language relating to the creation of the district, and changes the meaning of a quorum from four members to a majority of the board. It is required that the election of directors is held on a date authorized in the Election Code. A petition and application for a place on the ballot must be filed in the manner provided by the Election Code.
SECTION 3. Amends Chapter 38, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967 by adding Section 3A which authorizes the board of directors to adopt an order providing for election of directors from five single-member districts. Further defines how the districts would be determined, by requiring the board to create a plan that provides for five numbered single-member districts which may be coextensive with single-member districts used in other local elections. Residency requirements for election include the requirement that a person be a resident of the election district that person seeks to represent. A person has to indicate, on application for a place on the ballot, which district the person seeks to represent. The directors are authorized to revise boundaries as necessary, and they are required to revise boundaries reflecting population changes after each federal census. All five positions must be filled at the first election for directors. At the first meeting, the directors are required to draw lots to determine which three members will serve two-year terms and which two will serve a one-year term. After the terms of the initially elected directors, each director serves for two-year terms.
SECTION 4. Amends Section 5(a), Chapter 38, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967, to provide for the operation and maintenance of other related facilities.
SECTION 5. Effective Date
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2005.