SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 2490

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Government Operations & Elections, February 25, 2004

Title: An act relating to representation on governing body of entity created by public hospital district.

Brief Description: Providing for representation on governing body for public hospital district that joins with another entity.

Sponsors: Representatives Haigh and Armstrong.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 2/25/04 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Stevens, Vice Chair; Berkey, Fairley, Horn, Kastama and McCaslin.

Staff: Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background: Public Hospital Districts (PHD's) are special purpose districts that operate hospitals and provide other health-related services. Commissioners of a PHD are publicly elected officials. They may be either three, five, or seven in number and each serves a six-year term. No primary is held. A PHD may contract or join with another hospital, a PHD, or other entity to provide health care services or operate health care facilities by forming a nonprofit joint legal entity. The governing body of such a joint entity must include representatives of the PHD, including the PHD commissioners.

Summary of Bill: If a PHD enters into a joint legal entity, the governing body of the joint legal entity, the representatives of the PHD need not necessarily be the PHD commissioners.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This gives flexibility to the Public Hospital Districts and allows for the governing bodies of the joint legal entities to be of more manageable size.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Lisa Thatcher, Assn. of WA Public Hospital Districts (pro).