Central Coast Hospital Authority.

Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of certain counties to establish a hospital authority for the management, administration, and control of certain medical facilities. Existing law authorizes the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey to establish a special health care authority with prescribed powers and duties. This bill would authorize the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey to establish, by ordinance, the Central Coast Hospital Authority to manage, administer, and control the Natividad Medical Center and other health care facilities, as defined, in the county, as specified. This bill would prohibit establishing the hospital authority until the medical center affiliates or consolidates with at least one other health care facility, as specified. This bill would grant to the authority the duties, privileges, immunities, rights, liabilities, and limitations of a local unit of government within the state. This bill would also grant to the authority, among other things, the power to incur debt, borrow money, and issue bonds, as specified, and the power to request that the board of supervisors levy a tax on behalf of the authority, as prescribed. The bill would specify that the transfer to the authority of the management, administration, and control of the medical center and another health facility shall not affect the eligibility of the county or the governing board of another health care facility for, and shall authorize the authority to participate in and receive, various sources of funding, as specified. This bill would provide various protections for the benefits of the permanent employees of the medical center. The bill would require the authority to contract with the Public Employees' Retirement System, as specified, and with exceptions, and would require the authority to maintain retirement benefits, as specified.