6384-S

AN ACT Relating to boards of trustees for county hospitals; amending RCW 36.62.110, 36.62.120, 36.62.150, and 36.62.160; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that county hospitals that are used as primary university teaching hospitals serve vital public interests by treating the poor and infirm and by providing clinical resources unique in the state. It is the intent of this act to restructure the governance of these hospitals to further those interests and to strengthen their economic viability.

Sec. 2. RCW 36.62.110 and 1984 c 26 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, whenever any county, or any county and city jointly, or two or more counties jointly, establish a hospital for the care and treatment of the indigent, sick, injured, or infirm, under the provisions of this chapter, and such hospital is completed and ready for operation, the county legislative authority of the county in which the institution is located shall appoint thirteen persons as trustees for the institution. The thirteen trustees, together with the additional trustees required by RCW 36.62.130, if any, shall constitute a board of trustees for such hospital.

(2) In the case of a hospital established prior to the effective date of this 1994 act in a class AA county, the governor shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the senate, three trustees in the manner provided in RCW 36.62.120, and the county legislative authority shall appoint sixteen trustees.

Sec. 3. RCW 36.62.120 and 1984 c 26 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the first members of the board of trustees of ((~~such~~)) the institution shall be appointed by the county legislative authority within thirty days after the institution has been completed and is ready for operation. The county legislative authority appointing the initial members shall appoint three members for one-year terms, three members for two-year terms, three members for three-year terms, and four members for four-year terms, and until their successors are appointed and qualified, and thereafter their successors shall be appointed for terms of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualified((~~: PROVIDED, That~~)). However, the continuation of a member past the expiration date of the term shall not change the commencement date of the term of the succeeding member. Each term of the initial trustees shall be deemed to commence on the first day of August following the appointment but shall also include the period intervening between the appointment and the first day of August following the appointment.

((For an institution which is already in existence on June 7, 1984, the county legislative authority shall appoint within thirty days of June 7, 1984, three additional members for one-year terms, two additional members for two-year terms, and two additional members for three-year terms, and until their successors are appointed and qualified, and thereafter their successors shall be appointed for terms of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualified: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the continuation of an additional member past the expiration date of the term shall not change the commencement date of the term of the succeeding member. Each term of the initial additional members shall be deemed to commence on the first day of August of the year of appointment but shall also include the period intervening between the appointment and the first day of August of the year of the appointment.

Upon expiration of the terms of current members, the successors to current members shall be appointed for four-year terms and until their successors are appointed and qualified: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the continuation of a successor to a current member past the expiration date of the term shall not change the commencement date of the term of the succeeding member. Each term of the initial successors to current members shall be deemed to commence on the first day of August following the expiration of a current term but shall also include the period intervening between the appointment and the first day of August of the year of the appointment.)) (2) In the case of a hospital established prior to the effective date of this 1994 act in a class AA county:

(a) The governor shall appoint one member of the board of trustees for a term of four years beginning August 1, 1994; one member for a term of three years beginning August 1, 1994; and one member for a term of four years beginning August 1, 1995. Thereafter, their successors shall be appointed for terms of four years; and

(b) Any persons serving as members of the board on the effective date of this 1994 act may continue to serve for the remainder of the terms to which the persons were appointed. Thereafter, their successors shall be appointed for terms of four years unless the county legislative authority elects, on a one-time basis, to make any appointments for a lesser term in order to achieve more evenly staggered terms.

Sec. 4. RCW 36.62.150 and 1984 c 26 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The county legislative authority which appointed a member of the board of trustees may remove the member for cause and in the manner provided in this section. Notice shall be provided by the county appointing authority to the trustee and the board of trustees generally. The notice shall set forth reasons which justify removal. The trustee shall be provided opportunity for a hearing before the county appointing authority((~~: PROVIDED, That~~)). However, three consecutive unexcused absences from regular meetings of the board of trustees shall be deemed cause for removal of a trustee without hearing. Any trustee removed for a cause other than three consecutive unexcused absences may appeal the removal within twenty days of the order of removal by seeking a writ of review before the superior court ((~~pursuant to~~)) under chapter 7.16 RCW. Removal shall disqualify the trustee from subsequent reappointment.

(2) Members of the board of trustees appointed by the governor under RCW 36.62.110 may be removed under RCW 43.06.070.

Sec. 5. RCW 36.62.160 and 1984 c 26 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:

Any vacancy in the board of trustees shall be filled by appointment by the ((~~county legislative~~)) authority making the original appointment, and ((~~such~~)) the appointee shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the trustee replaced.