S-1598.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5999

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senator Hale

Read first time 02/19/1999.  Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.

Requiring a vote to dispose of a hospital district or its property.

    AN ACT Relating to public hospital districts; and adding a new section to chapter 70.44 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 70.44 RCW to read as follows:

    A hospital district may not sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of a district hospital or all or substantially all of its property, as authorized under RCW 70.44.240 and 70.44.300 through 70.44.320, unless the proposed sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition is first submitted to the voters of the hospital district for approval in an election conducted in accordance with the general election laws.  The proposition expressed on the ballot at such an election shall be substantially as follows:

    Shall the proposed (sale) (lease) (exchange) (other disposition) (use bracketed material as applicable) of the property of the Hospital District approved by its Board of Commissioners on (insert date), be approved and carried out?

               Yes             No

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