SENATE BILL 1168

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Timothy Z. Jennings

AN ACT

RELATING TO COUNTIES; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF A COUNTY TO FORM A SPECIAL HOSPITAL DISTRICT; PROVIDING PROCEDURES FOR THE APPOINTMENT AND ELECTION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBERS; PROVIDING POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the Special Hospital District Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] SPECIAL HOSPITAL DISTRICT--CREATION BY COUNTY COMMISSION--BOARD OF TRUSTEE APPOINTMENT--ELECTION FOR RETENTION OF TRUSTEE.--

          A. A special hospital district may be created in a single county for the purpose of constructing, acquiring, operating or maintaining one or more public hospital facilities for the benefit of the inhabitants of the county, by vote of the majority of commissioners of that county.

          B. If the majority of the county commissioners creates a special hospital district pursuant to Subsection A of this section, the county commission shall appoint a board of trustees. One member of the board of trustees shall be appointed from each county commission district of a county with three or more districts, or three members shall be appointed at large from a county with less than three county commission districts.

          C. The initial term of an appointed member shall be two years or until the next general election, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, all members shall be elected for five-year terms. In a district created pursuant to Subsection A of this section, only qualified electors who reside in the territory of the single-member district shall vote on the candidates for the member from that single-member district.

          D. Vacancies on the board of trustees created by a member elected in a single-member district shall be filled by the board of county commissioners of the county in which the single-member district is located, and vacancies created by a member elected at large shall be filled by the remaining members of the board of trustees for the remainder of the unexpired term of the member creating the vacancy.

          E. The board of trustees of a special hospital district created pursuant to Subsection A of this section shall have the powers and duties set forth in the Special Hospital District Act.

          F. Members of the board of trustees shall be suspended or removed from office only as provided in Chapter 10, Article 4 NMSA 1978 or as provided in Section 4-48A-7 NMSA 1978."

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