Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB879 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R3371 ALB-F
2	2	By: Bonnen H.B. No. 879
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the Sweeny Hospital District.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 4, Chapter 135, Acts of the 58th
10	10	Legislature, Regular Session, 1963, is amended to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 4. (a) The management and control of the [each
12	12	hospital] district [created pursuant to the provisions of this Act]
13	13	is hereby vested in the board of directors of the district who shall
14	14	serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for actual
15	15	expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties upon
16	16	the approval of such expenses by the entire board of directors.
17	17	(b) The board may employ physicians or other health care
18	18	providers as the board considers necessary for the efficient
19	19	operation of the district. This section may not be construed as
20	20	authorizing the board to supervise or control the practice of
21	21	medicine, as prohibited by Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code.
22	22	SECTION 2. Chapter 135, Acts of the 58th Legislature,
23	23	Regular Session, 1963, is amended by adding Sections 6A and 6B to
24	24	read as follows:
25	25	Sec. 6A. In addition to the authority to issue general
26	26	obligation bonds and revenue bonds under this Act, the board may
27	27	provide for the security and payment of district bonds from a pledge
28	28	of a combination of ad valorem taxes as authorized by Section 6(a)
29	29	of this Act and revenue and other sources as authorized by Section
30	30	6(e) of this Act.
31	31	Sec. 6B. The district may use the proceeds of bonds issued
32	32	under this Act to pay:
33	33	(1) any expense the board determines is reasonable and
34	34	necessary to issue, sell, and deliver the bonds;
35	35	(2) interest payments on the bonds during a period of
36	36	acquisition or construction of a project or facility to be provided
37	37	through the bonds, not to exceed five years;
38	38	(3) costs related to the operation and maintenance of
39	39	a project or facility to be provided through the bonds:
40	40	(A) during an estimated period of acquisition or
41	41	construction, not to exceed five years; and
42	42	(B) for one year after the project or facility is
43	43	acquired or constructed;
44	44	(4) costs related to the financing of the bond funds,
45	45	including debt service reserve and contingency funds;
46	46	(5) costs related to the bond issuance;
47	47	(6) costs related to the acquisition of land or
48	48	interests in land for a project or facility to be provided through
49	49	the bonds; and
50	50	(7) costs of construction of a project or facility to
51	51	be provided through the bonds, including the payment of related
52	52	professional services and expenses.
53	53	SECTION 3. Section 7, Chapter 135, Acts of the 58th
54	54	Legislature, Regular Session, 1963, is amended by adding Subsection
55	55	(e) to read as follows:
56	56	(e) The district may establish a comprehensive program to
57	57	provide income and medical benefits to a district employee who
58	58	sustains an injury that arises out of and in the course and scope of
59	59	employment. If the district adopts a comprehensive program under
60	60	this subsection, the district is exempt from Section 504.011, Labor
61	61	Code, to the extent that the section requires the district to
62	62	provide workers' compensation to its employees.
63	63	SECTION 4. Chapter 135, Acts of the 58th Legislature,
64	64	Regular Session, 1963, is amended by adding Section 7B to read as
65	65	follows:
66	66	Sec. 7B. (a) The board may borrow money at a rate not to
67	67	exceed the maximum annual percentage rate allowed by law for
68	68	district obligations at the time the loan is made.
69	69	(b) To secure a loan, the board may pledge:
70	70	(1) district revenue that is not pledged to pay the
71	71	district's bonded indebtedness;
72	72	(2) a district tax to be imposed by the district during
73	73	the 12-month period following the date of the pledge that is not
74	74	pledged to pay the principal of or interest on district bonds; or
75	75	(3) a district bond that has been authorized but not
76	76	sold.
77	77	(c) A loan for which taxes or bonds are pledged must mature
78	78	not later than the first anniversary of the date the loan is made. A
79	79	loan for which district revenue is pledged must mature not later
80	80	than the fifth anniversary of the date the loan is made.
81	81	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
82	82	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
83	83	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
84	84	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
85	85	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.