Bill Text: CA SB558 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Imperial Valley Healthcare District: voting districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-21 - From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23. [SB558 Detail]
Download: California-2025-SB558-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 558
| Introduced by Senator Padilla |
February 20, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 32499.7 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health care districts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 558, as introduced, Padilla.
Imperial Valley Healthcare District: voting districts.
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.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 32499.7 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:32499.7.
(a) (1) Following appointment, the Board of Directors of the Imperial Valley Healthcare District, notwithstanding Section 32100.1, shall adopt a resolution to divide the district into seven voting districts, number the voting districts consecutively, and elect members of the board of directors by voting district beginning with the next district election occurring after January 1, 2024.(2) The board of directors shall collaborate with the Imperial County Local Agency Formation Commission to establish the voting districts.
(b) In establishing the voting districts described in subdivision (a), the board of directors shall provide for representation in accordance with demographic,
including population, and geographic factors of the entire area of the district. The board of directors shall fix the time and place and give public notice for a hearing on the proposed establishment of the voting districts, at which any elector of the district may present their views and plans in relation to the proposed division, but the board of directors shall not be bound thereby and their decision, in the resolution adopted, shall be final.
(c) The resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall declare the voting districts and describe the boundaries of each voting district.
(d) The voting districts described in subdivision (a) and any necessary procedures for implementing the election of the board of directors by voting districts shall be established and implemented on or before July 1, 2024.
(e) The
voting districts established pursuant to this section shall be effective for subsequent district elections, commencing with the next district election occurring after January 1, 2024. At the expiration of the terms of office of the members of the board of directors then in office, and thereafter, these members of the board of directors shall be elected by voting districts. One member of the board of directors shall be elected by the electors of each of the voting districts. A person shall not be eligible to hold the office of member of the board of directors unless they have been a resident of the voting district from which they are elected for 30 days next preceding the date of the election. A member of the initial board of directors, appointed pursuant to Section 32499.6, shall not be eligible to become an elected board member of the district for the first round of elections for each respective board seat.
may 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.
(f) A vacancy upon the board that results in a voting district left unrepresented prior to the expiration of the term of that board position shall be filled by appointment of the remaining members of the board of directors. A member of the board of directors appointed pursuant to this subdivision shall be a resident of the voting district left unrepresented on the board of directors.
