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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 973
BY REPRESENTATIVE HARRISON
DISTRICTS/HOSPITAL SERVC: Creates a hospital service district
AN ACT1
To enact Part VI of Chapter 10 of Title 46 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be2
comprised of R.S. 46:1098.1 through 1098.3, relative to hospital service districts; to3
create a hospital service district for the parishes of Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary,4
and Terrebonne; to establish a board of commissioners for the hospital service5
district; to provide for the administration of the commission; to provide for the6
powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the commission; and to provide for7
related matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. Part VI of Chapter 10 of Title 46 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of10
1950, to be comprised of R.S. 46:1098.1 through 1098.3, is hereby enacted to read as11
follows: 12
PART VI. PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT13
FOR ASSUMPTION, LAFOURCHE, ST. MARY, AND TERREBONNE14
§1098.1. Parish hospital service district; Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary,15
Terrebonne 16
A.(1) A parish hospital service district is hereby created and shall be17
composed of all the following areas, except as specifically excluded in this Part:18
(a) Assumption Parish.19
(b) Lafourche Parish.20 HLS 12RS-1315 ORIGINAL
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(c) St. Mary Parish.1
(d) Terrebonne Parish.2
(2) The hospital service district shall be known as the "Parish Hospital3
Service District for the Parish of Terrebonne", hereinafter referred to in this Part as4
the "district". The boundaries of the district shall be coterminous with the5
boundaries of the parishes listed in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.6
(3) However, the district shall not include any parish with a population of7
less than fifteen thousand persons based on the latest federal decennial census.8
B.(1)(a) The district shall be governed by a board of commissioners,9
hereinafter referred to as the "commission", appointed by the governor, after10
consideration of input from the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals,11
from a list of qualified voters and residents of the parish recommended by the parish12
governing authority as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph. If the13
governor, after consideration of input from the secretary of the Department of Health14
and Hospitals, does not choose to appoint a member from the list of15
recommendations submitted by the parish governing authority, he may request the16
governing authority to submit additional recommendations. As far as practicable,17
one-third of the commissioners shall be appointed for an initial term of two years,18
one-third shall be appointed for an initial term of four years, and one-third shall be19
appointed for an initial term of six years. Upon expiration of their respective terms20
of office, the successors to such appointees shall be appointed within thirty days for21
six-year terms. Each appointment by the governor shall be made subject to Senate22
confirmation. If the parish governing authority fails to submit recommendations for23
an initial or subsequent appointment to the commission or if the parish governing24
authority fails to submit additional recommendations when requested by the25
governor, then the governor shall appoint a person who is a qualified voter and26
resident of the parish to the commission without recommendation from the parish27
governing authority.28 HLS 12RS-1315 ORIGINAL
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(b) One member shall be appointed to serve on the board of commissioners1
from each parish included in the district; however, the board membership shall be2
increased and additional members appointed to serve on the board until a majority3
of the members of the board are qualified voters and residents of the parish of4
Terrebonne.5
(2) The parish governing authority may permit a per diem to each member6
of the commission in an amount of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than7
forty dollars for each day of his attendance at meetings of the commission, not to8
exceed twelve meetings per year, payable out of the funds of the parish hospital9
service district.10
(3) Any member of the commission may be removed from office for cause11
and his appointment rescinded by two-thirds vote of the elected membership of the12
parish governing authority.13
C. In addition to the powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities provided14
in this Part, a parish hospital service district created pursuant to this Part shall have15
all the general powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of a hospital service16
district created pursuant to the general provisions of Part I of this Chapter.17
§1098.2. Officers; meetings18
A. The commission shall elect one of its members chairman and one vice19
chairman.20
B. All meetings of the commission shall be held at the domicile of the21
district which shall be established by the parish governing authority. At least three22
regular meetings shall be held annually. Special meetings may be held at such times23
and places as shall be specified, by call of the chairman or the police jury.24
§1098.3. Commission; powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities25
A. The commission shall have all the general powers, duties, functions, and26
responsibilities of a hospital service district created under the general provisions of27
Part I of this Chapter. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,28
no tax or bonded indebtedness shall be imposed or incurred in favor of a parish29 HLS 12RS-1315 ORIGINAL
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hospital service district authorized in this Part unless the tax or bonded indebtedness1
is approved by a majority of the electors of each parish in the district voting in a2
special election called for that purpose.3
B. In addition to the powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities granted4
hospital service districts created pursuant to Part I of this Chapter, the parish hospital5
service district created under this Part may ensure the equitable distribution of6
funding to the Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center for the maintenance of services.7
Those services may include acute general medical, surgical, psychiatric, inpatient8
and acute/chronic ambulatory medical care for the uninsured, Medicaid recipients,9
Medicare subscribers and other government and private healthcare reimbursement10
plans. All caregivers that are contracted by the commission may include all or any11
academic health sciences facilities or hospitals located within the district. This12
includes hospital based caregivers in emergency medicine, anesthesia services,13
imaging services, and clinical laboratory/pathology services that may consist of14
corporation entities. The caregivers of the hospital district may include physicians15
and allied health and nursing personnel who are seeking training under an authorized16
academic institution.17
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Harrison HB No. 973
Abstract: Creates a hospital service district to serve Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and
Terrebonne parishes.
Proposed law creates a parish hospital service district encompassing Assumption, Lafourche,
St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes.
Proposed law specifies that the hospital service district will be known as the "Parish Hospital
Service District for the Parish of Terrebonne", hereinafter referred to in this Part as the
"district". Further, provides that the boundaries of the district are coterminous with the
boundaries of Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes.
Proposed law prohibits the inclusion of any parish with a population of less than 15,000
persons, based on the latest federal decennial census, in the district. HLS 12RS-1315 ORIGINAL
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Proposed law provides that the district will be governed by a board of commissioners
(referred to as the commission) appointed by the governor, after consideration of input from
the secretary of the Dept. of Health and Hospitals (DHH), from a list of qualified voters and
residents of the parish recommended by the parish governing authority as provided in
proposed law. Specifies that if the governor, after consideration of input from the secretary
of DHH, does not choose to appoint a member from the list of recommendations submitted
by the parish governing authority, he may request the governing authority to submit
additional recommendations. Further, species that as far as practicable, 1/3 of the
commissioners must be appointed for an initial term of 2 years, 1/3 must be appointed for
an initial term of 4 years, and 1/3 must be appointed for an initial term of 6 years. Further
provides that upon expiration of their respective terms of office, the successors to such
appointees must be appointed within 30 days for 6-year terms. Specifies that each
appointment by the governor is subject to Senate confirmation. Also specifies that if the
parish governing authority fails to submit recommendations for an initial or subsequent
appointment to the commission or if the parish governing authority fails to submit additional
recommendations when requested by the governor, then the governor must appoint a person
who is a qualified voter and resident of the parish to the commission without
recommendation from the parish governing authority.
Proposed law requires the appointment of one member to serve on the board of
commissioners from each parish included in the district. Specifies that the board
membership will be increased and additional members appointed to serve on the board until
a majority of the members of the board are qualified voters and residents of the parish of
Terrebonne. Allows the parish governing authority to permit a per diem to each member of
the commission in an amount of not less than $25 nor more than $40 for each day of his
attendance at meetings of the commission, not to exceed 12 meetings per year payable out
of the funds of the parish hospital service district. Further, authorizes the removal of any
member of the commission for cause and his appointment rescinded by 2/3 vote of the
elected membership of the parish governing authority. Also, specifies that a parish hospital
service district created pursuant to this Part has all the general powers, duties, functions, and
responsibilities of a hospital service district created pursuant to the general provisions of
present law.
Proposed law provides relative to the officers of the board and their meeting responsibilities.
Requires the commission to elect one of its members chairman and one vice chairman.
Requires that all meetings of the commission be held at the domicile of the district which
will be established by the parish governing authority. Requires that at least 3 regular
meetings be held annually. Authorizes special meetings at such times and places as will be
specified, by call of the chairman or the police jury.
Proposed law establishes the powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the
commission. Specifies that the commission will have all the general powers, duties,
functions, and responsibilities of a hospital service district created under the general
provisions of present law. Prohibits tax or bonded indebtedness being imposed or incurred
in favor of a parish hospital service district authorized by proposed law unless the tax or
bonded indebtedness is approved by a majority of the electors of each parish in the district
voting in a special election called for that purpose.
Proposed law authorizes the parish hospital service district created by proposed law to
ensure the equitable distribution of funding to the Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center for the
maintenance of services. Specifies that those services may include acute general medical,
surgical, psychiatric, inpatient and acute/chronic ambulatory medical care for the uninsured,
Medicaid recipients, Medicare subscribers, and other government and private healthcare
reimbursement plans. Provides that all care givers that are contracted by the commission of
said district may include all or any academic health sciences facilities hospitals located
within the district. Specifies that this includes hospital based caregivers in emergency
medicine, anesthesia services, imaging services, and clinical laboratory/pathology services
that may consist of corporation entities. The caregivers of the district may include HLS 12RS-1315 ORIGINAL
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physician, allied health and nursing personnel who are seeking training under an authorized
academic institution.
(Adds R.S. 46:1098.1-1098.3)