Existing law, the Local Health Care District Law, authorizes the organization and incorporation of local health care districts and specifies the powers of those districts, including, among other things, the power to establish, maintain, and operate, or provide assistance in the operation of, one or more health facilities or health services, including, but not limited to, outpatient programs, services, and facilities; retirement programs, services, and facilities; chemical dependency programs, services, and facilities; or other health care programs, services, and facilities and activities at any location within or without the district for the benefit of the district and the people served by the district.

Existing law forms a local health care district in the County of Imperial, designated as the Imperial Valley Healthcare District, that includes all of the County of Imperial. Existing law requires the initial board of directors of the Imperial Valley Healthcare District to be appointed from and by specified bodies, including among others, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, the Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District Board of Directors, and the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District Board of Directors. Following the appointment of the initial board of directors, existing law requires the board of directors to adopt a resolution to divide the Imperial Valley Healthcare District into voting districts for the purpose of electing members of the board of directors from and by the electors of those voting districts. Existing law prohibits a member of the initial board of directors from being eligible to become an elected board member of a district for the first round of elections.

This bill would instead authorize a member of the initial board of directors to become the first elected member for a voting district if the member is otherwise eligible for the position and is elected by the electors of that voting district.