Article 1. General Provisions of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 101. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.

This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo Regional Health Authority Act.

(a) The Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara may, by ordinance or resolution, order the formation of the Santa Barbara Regional Health Authority under this chapter that shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county.
  (b) The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo may, by ordinance or resolution, authorize the provision of medical services by the authority within San Luis Obispo County and may participate on the board of directors of the authority as provided in this chapter.

Unless the context otherwise requires, this article governs the construction of this chapter. As used in this chapter:
  (a) "Authority" means the Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo Regional Health Authority.
  (b) "Board" means the Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo Regional Health Authority Board of Directors.
  (c) "Health care system" means any system established to arrange for the provision of medical services.
  (d) "Public agency" means the United States, the State of California, any political subdivision, county, municipality, district, or agency of the State of California or of the United States and any department, bureau, or commission of the State of California or of the United States.
  (e) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, trust, business trust, or the receiver or trustee or conservator for any of the above, but does not include a public agency.
  (f) "Professional advisory boards" means the boards appointed by the board of directors of the authority pursuant to its rules which shall consist of a representative cross section of professional providers of health care services within the service area.
  (g) "Community advisory boards" means advisory boards to the authority's board appointed by the board of directors of the authority which shall consist of persons who represent community and consumer interests and who do not directly earn their income from the provision of medical health services.
  (h) "Service area" means Santa Barbara County, and those counties that are contiguous with Santa Barbara County.

Upon the adoption of an ordinance or resolution by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo authorizing the provision of medical services by the authority pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 101680, the governing body of the authority shall be vested in a board of directors that shall consist of 13 members. Eight members shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County and five members shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors of San Luis Obispo County.
  (a) The Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County shall appoint members to the board of directors as follows:
  (1) Three members shall be elected or appointed officers or employees of Santa Barbara County, at least one of whom shall be a member of the board of supervisors.
  (2) Two members shall be residents of Santa Barbara County, one of whom shall be either a recipient of Medi-Cal, provided for under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, a recipient of Medicare, provided for under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, or a resident eligible to receive benefits and services under both Medi-Cal and Medicare, and the other member shall be a representative of a community business that does not provide health care.
  (3) Three members shall be representatives of providers of health care services in the county including: (A) one physician who shall be appointed from a list established by the Santa Barbara County Medical Society; (B) one hospital administrator; and (C) one nonhospital or nonphysician health care provider.
  (b) The Board of Supervisors of San Luis Obispo County shall appoint members to the board of directors as follows:
  (1) Two members shall be elected or appointed officers or employees of San Luis Obispo County, at least one of whom shall be a member of the board of supervisors.
  (2) One member shall be a resident of San Luis Obispo County and shall be either a recipient of Medi-Cal, provided for under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, a recipient of Medicare, provided for under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, or a resident eligible to receive benefits and services under both Medi-Cal and Medicare.
  (3) Two members shall be representatives of providers of health care services in San Luis Obispo County, including one physician who shall be appointed from a list established by the San Luis Obispo County Medical Society, and one hospital administrator who shall be appointed from a list established by the local hospital council.
  (c) Each hospital administrator appointed to the board of directors shall be unaffiliated with the hospital group, network, or corporate entity of the other hospital board appointee. Each physician appointee to the board of directors shall be unaffiliated with the group, network, or corporate entity of the other physician board appointee.
  (d) With regard to appointments made pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the appointments shall not result in two members who are both recipients of Medi-Cal only or both recipients of Medicare only.

The board, at its first meeting, and annually thereafter at the first meeting in January, shall elect a chair who shall preside at all meetings, and a vice chair who shall preside in his or her absence. In the event of their absence or inability to act, the members present, by an order entered in the minutes, shall select one of their members to act as chair pro tempore, who, while so acting, shall have all of the authority of the chair.

The board shall establish rules for its proceedings. There shall be at least four meetings per year. Board members shall be entitled to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per diem from authority funds, for each board meeting attended and the authority may pay per diem to board members attending meetings of committees of the board except that per diem for attending board meetings and board committee meetings shall not exceed the sum of two hundred dollars ($200) per month, plus actual expenses incurred in attending meetings at rates payable to county officers and employees. The per diem rate of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) may be increased by the board subject to approval by the boards of supervisors.

A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and all official acts of the board shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the board.

The acts of the board shall be expressed by motion, resolution or ordinance.

Except for initial staggered terms that may be established by the board, the term of office of each noncounty member shall be two years and, in addition, time as necessary until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor. County officers or employees shall serve at the pleasure of the board of supervisors that appointed that officer or employee.

Any vacancy on the board shall be filled for the unexpired term by the board of supervisors of the county authorized by Section 101690 to make the appointment to that position.

Professional advisory and community advisory boards shall review and comment on proposed policies and actions of the board dealing with the arrangements for health care within the jurisdiction of the authority.

The board may allow as a charge against the authority, reimbursement to members of professional and community advisory boards, of actually incurred expenses in attending meetings in amounts allowed by the board of supervisors to county officers and employees.