BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1908

By: Perry

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that a number of years ago the board of directors of the Lynn County Hospital District requested a change in the district's enabling legislation to remove wording that provided for a district bond election. The change was made and the district can no longer sell bonds for capital improvement. The parties note, however, that with cuts in reimbursements and increased costs for operations the district runs the risk of losing its hospital if the district cannot rely on the citizens to support capital improvement through the selling of bonds. S.B. 1908 seeks to address this issue. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

S.B. 1908 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to require general obligation bonds of the Lynn County Hospital District to be authorized by a majority of the district voters voting at an election held for that purpose before the district may issue the bonds. The bill requires the order calling the election to provide for clerks as in county elections and to specify the date of the election, the location of the polling places, the presiding and alternate election judges for each polling place, the amount of the bonds to be authorized, the maximum interest rate of the bonds, and the maximum maturity of the bonds. The bill requires notice of a bond election to be given as provided by specified statutory bond election provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.