The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by James Benton.
DIGEST
SB 518 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session Hewitt
Present law creates, by special uncodified acts of the legislature, the two hospital service districts
in St. Tammany Parish, termed the St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 and the St.
Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 2, as the successors to the St. Tammany Parish
Hospital Service District.
Proposed law incorporates the provisions of the uncodified acts relating to the St. Tammany Parish
Hospital Service District No. 2 in Title 46 of the La. Revised Statutes of 1950.
Present law provides that St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1 shall be comprised
of all territory within Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 of the parish and shall own and operate the St.
Tammany Parish Hospital. St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 2 shall be comprised
of all territory within Wards 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the parish and shall own and operate the Slidell
Memorial Hospital.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides for an advisory board composed of at least one resident of each of Wards 6, 7,
8, and 9 of St. Tammany parish.
Proposed law eliminates present law.
Proposed law allows the Board of Commissioners to appoint a former member of the Board as a
Commissioner emeritus who may not serve longer than one year and is a nonvoting member to
provide historical perspective to Board.
Proposed law provides that the nominating committee shall attempt to identify whether any potential
nominee has a conflict of interest that would preclude his or her participation as a member of the
board of commissioners under the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics.
Proposed law provides that the nominating committee must make every reasonable effort to include
in its nominations a business executive with at least an MBA or equivalent degree and five years of
experience in operating a large business corporation or large nonprofit corporation.
Proposed law provides that for board vacancies expected due to term limits, the appointing authority
shall conduct their meetings and fulfill their duties by December 15 of each year in order that each
appointee may have six months to observe and orient to the board prior to taking their office on July
1 of the following year. Orienting appointees will be compensated a per diem rate and reasonable
expenses for attending meetings or education sessions of the board prior to taking office. Proposed law provides that board members must attend and complete all education courses and
seminars made available or assigned to the board by the hospital, including but not limited to state
ethics laws, HIPAA, and preventing sexual harassment and fraud and abuse.
Proposed law provides that notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the board
may annually appoint a former member of the board to serve as a nonvoting "Commissioner
Emeritus" to advise and provide historical perspective to the board when requested by the chairman.
Such person will be paid a per diem equal to that paid to other board members for attendance at the
meeting together with reasonable expenses to attend any event attended by the board of
commissioners. The "Commissioner Emeritus" may not serve longer than one year.
Present law provides that the chairman of the board may receive per diem for ten meetings per
month. In the case of an emergency, the chairman may receive per diem for more than ten meetings
per month.
Proposed law maintains present law and includes other officers. Furthermore, proposed law provides
that telephone or video conferences for educational or managerial purposes may be considered by
the chairman of the board to be a meeting for which compensation may be paid.
Present law requires the nominating committee to make every reasonable, effort to include in its
nominations at least one person from each of the following categories: a member of the Louisiana
State Bar Association, a certified public accountant, a person with financial experience in
commercial and board work, an insurance executive, and a health professional.
Proposed law retains present law and includes a business executive with at least an MBA or
equivalent degree and five years of experience in operating a large business corporation or large
nonprofit corporation.
Present law provides for the board to appoint and enter into an employment contract with a chief
executive officer of the hospital.
Proposed law retains present law and clarifies that the board shall also select the chief executive
officer.
Present law proves that the Chief Executive Officer will establish positions of employment and to
appoint and employ personnel necessary for the operation of the health care facility or facilities under
his jurisdiction; to establish rates of pay and employee benefits; to abolish positions; and to transfer,
promote, demote, and otherwise alter the status of employees of the facility or facilities.
Proposed law retains present law but also adds the establishment of employee benefits to the list of
items to be established by the Chief Executive Officer.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 46:1098.1-1098.18)