101855. (a) Subject to any terms, conditions, and limitations as may be imposed by the enabling ordinance, the authority, in addition to any other powers granted pursuant to this chapter, shall have the following powers:
(1) To have the duties, privileges, immunities, rights, liabilities, and limitations of a local unit of government within the state.
(2) To have perpetual existence, subject to Article 5 (commencing with Section 101856).
(3) To adopt, have, and use a seal, and to alter it at its pleasure.
(4) To sue and be sued in the name of the authority in all actions and proceedings in all courts and tribunals of competent jurisdiction.
(5) To purchase, lease, trade, exchange, or otherwise acquire, maintain, hold, improve, mortgage, lease, sell, and dispose of real and personal property of any kind necessary or convenient to perform its functions and fully exercise its powers.
(6) To appoint and employ or otherwise engage a chief executive officer and other officers and employees that may be necessary or appropriate, including legal counsel, to establish their compensation, provide for their health, retirement, and other employment benefits, and to define the power and duties of officers and employees.
(7) (A) To incur indebtedness and to borrow money and issue bonds evidencing the same, including the authority to issue, from time to time, notes and revenue bonds in principal amounts that the authority determines to be necessary to provide sufficient funds for achieving any of its purposes, including, but not limited to, assumption or refinancing of debt service for capital projects eligible for Medi-Cal supplemental payments pursuant to Section 14085.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or any successor or modified Medi-Cal debt service reimbursement program, the payment of principal and interest on notes and bonds of the authority, the establishment of reserves to secure those notes and bonds, and all other expenditures of the authority incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and powers.
(B) Any notes, bonds, or other securities issued, and the income from them, including any profit from the sale thereof, shall at all times be free from taxation by the state or any agency, political subdivision, or instrumentality of the state.
(C) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A), for any indebtedness, notes, bonds, or other securities that require voter approval pursuant to state law, the prior approval of the board of supervisors shall be required. Notwithstanding the required prior approval of the board of supervisors and except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any indebtedness incurred, or notes, bonds, or other securities issued pursuant to this subparagraph shall be the indebtedness, notes, bonds, or securities of the authority and not of the county, and the credit of the county shall not be pledged or relied upon in any manner in order to incur the indebtedness, or issue the notes, bonds, or other securities, unless the board of supervisors explicitly authorizes the use of the county’s credit. The authority shall reimburse the county for all costs associated with the county’s consideration of the indebtedness, notes, bonds, or securities, and the authority shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the county from any and all liability, costs, or expenses arising from or related to the indebtedness, notes, bonds, or securities.
(D) Nothing in this section shall preclude the authority from repayment of its debts or other liabilities, using funds that are not otherwise encumbered.
(8) To pursue its own credit rating.
(9) To enter into one or more contracts or agreements consistent with this chapter and other applicable laws of this state, including, but not limited to, contracting with any public or private entity or person for management or other services and personnel, and to authorize the chief executive officer to enter into contracts, execute all instruments, and do all things necessary or convenient in the exercise of the powers granted in this chapter.
(10) To purchase supplies, equipment, materials, property, and services.
(11) To establish policies relating to its purposes.
(12) To acquire or contract to acquire, rights-of-way, easements, privileges, and property, and to construct, equip, maintain, and operate any and all works or improvements wherever located that are necessary, convenient, or proper to carry out any of the provisions, objects, or purposes of this chapter, and to complete, extend, add to, repair, or otherwise improve any works or improvements acquired by it.
(13) To participate in, contract for, and to accept, gifts, grants, and loans of funds, property, or other aid or finance opportunity in any form from the federal government, the state, a state agency, or other source, or combination thereof, as otherwise would be available to a public, government, or private entity, and to comply, subject to this chapter, with the terms and conditions thereof.
(14) If not otherwise required pursuant to the enabling ordinance to deposit its funds in the county treasury, the authority may establish its own treasury, invest surplus money in its own treasury, manage investments, and engage third-party investment managers, in accordance with state law.
(15) To arrange for guarantees or insurance of its bonds, notes, or other obligations by the federal or state government or by a private insurer, and to pay the premiums thereof.
(16) To engage in managed care contracting, joint ventures, affiliations with other health care facilities, other health care providers and payers, management agreements, or to participate in alliances, purchasing consortia, health insurance pools, accountable care organizations, alternative delivery systems, or other cooperative arrangements, with any public or private entity.
(17) To enter into joint powers agreements pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code. Notwithstanding any other law, the authority may enter into a joint powers agreement as described in Section 6523.5 of the Government Code as though that section applied to hospitals and other health care facilities in the County of Kern.
(18) To establish nonprofit, for-profit, or other entities necessary to carry out the duties of the authority.
(19) To elect to transfer funds to the state and incur certified public expenditures in support of the Medi-Cal program and other programs for which federal financial participation is available.
(20) To use a computerized management information system, including an electronic health records system, in connection with its operations, including, without limitation, the administration of its facilities.
(21) To request that the board of supervisors levy a tax on behalf of the authority. If the board of supervisors approves the proposal to levy the tax, it shall call the election to seek voter approval and place the appropriate measure on the ballot for that election. The proceeds of these taxes shall be tax proceeds of the authority and not of the county. The authority shall reimburse the county for all costs associated with the county’s consideration of those taxes, and shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the county from any liability, costs, or expenses arising from or related to the imposition of these taxes.
(22) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter relating to the obligations and liabilities of the authority, or any other law, the authority shall have the same rights, privileges, exemptions, preferences, and authority of a county with respect to owning, operating, and providing coverage and services through hospitals, clinics and other health facilities, health programs, care organizations, physicians and physician practice plans, delivery systems, health care service plans, and other provider types and coverage mechanisms.
(23) To engage in other activities that may be in the best interests of the authority and the persons served by the authority, as determined by the board of governors, in order to respond to changes in the health care industry.
(b) The authority shall conform to the following requirements:
(1) (A) Be a government agency that is a local unit of government separate and apart for all purposes from the county and any other public entity, and shall not be considered to be an agency, division, or department of the county or any other public entity. The authority shall not be governed by or subject to the civil service requirements of the county. Notwithstanding any other law, except as otherwise provided for in the enabling ordinance enacted pursuant to this chapter, and as set forth in Section 101853.1 relating to the personnel transition plan, the authority shall not be governed by, or subject to, other policies or operational rules applicable to the county, the medical center prior to its transfer, or any other public entity, including, but not limited to, those relating to personnel and procurement.
(B) The board of governors shall adopt written rules, regulations, and procedures with regard to basic human resource functions not inconsistent with memoranda of understanding covering employees represented by employee organizations or the provisions of this chapter. Until the time that the board of governors adopts its own rules, regulations, or procedures with regard to these functions, the existing rules, regulations, and procedures set forth in any memoranda of understanding described in Section 101853.1, and the rules and regulations adopted by the county and described in paragraph (4), shall continue to apply.
(2) Be subject to state and federal taxation laws that are applicable to public entities generally.
(3) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, comply with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code), the Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), and the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code).
(4) Be subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Employment Relations Board. Until the authority adopts rules and regulations pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 3507 of the Government Code, the existing rules adopted by the county and contained in the county’s employer-employee relations resolution, as amended, shall apply, modified to account for the creation of the authority, and provided further that the resolution shall not contain any incorporation of the county’s civil service rules or county ordinances unless specifically addressed in this chapter.
(5) Carry professional and general liability insurance or programs to the extent sufficient to cover its activities.
(6) Comply with the requirements of Sections 53260 and 53261 of the Government Code.
(7) Maintain financial and accounting records.
(8) Meet all local, state, and federal data reporting requirements.
(c) (1) Subject to any restrictions applicable to public agencies, and subject to any limitations or conditions set forth in the enabling ordinance adopted by the board of supervisors, the authority may borrow money from the county, repay debt it owes to the county, and use the borrowed funds to provide for its operating and capital needs. The county may lend the authority funds and may issue debt instruments, including, without limitation, revenue anticipation notes to obtain funds to provide, by loan or otherwise, amounts necessary for the authority to meet its operating and capital needs.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the borrowing powers the county otherwise has under law for the purposes specified in paragraph (1) or any other purposes.
(d) Open sessions of the authority shall constitute official proceedings authorized by law within the meaning of Section 47 of the Civil Code. The privileges set forth in that section with respect to official proceedings shall apply to open sessions of the authority.
(e) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the board of governors or board of supervisors, as applicable, may order that a meeting held solely for the purpose of discussion or taking action on authority trade secrets, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3426.1 of the Civil Code, or to consider and take action on matters pertaining to contracts and contract negotiations concerning all matters related to rates of payment for health care services arranged or provided by the authority, shall be held in closed session. Trade secrets for purposes of this chapter shall also include information for which the secrecy of the information is necessary for the authority to initiate a new service, program, marketing strategy, business plan, or technology, or to add a benefit or product, and premature disclosure of the trade secret would create a substantial probability of depriving the authority of a substantial economic benefit or opportunity.
(2) The requirements of making a public report of actions taken in closed session and the vote or abstention of every member present may be limited to a brief general description devoid of the information constituting the trade secret or concerning the matters related to rates of payment.
(3) Those records of the authority or board of supervisors, as applicable, that reveal the authority’s trade secrets are exempt from disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), or any similar local law requiring the disclosure of public records. This exemption shall apply for a period of two years after the service, program, marketing strategy, business plan, technology, benefit, or product that is the subject of the trade secret is formally adopted by the governing body of the authority, provided that the service, program, marketing strategy, business plan, technology, benefit, or product continues to be a trade secret. The board of governors or board of supervisors, as applicable, may delete the portion or portions containing trade secrets from any documents that were finally approved in the closed session that are provided to persons who have made the timely or standing request.
(4) This chapter shall not prevent the board of governors or board of supervisors, as applicable, from meeting in closed session as otherwise provided by law.
(f) Notwithstanding any other law, those records of the authority and of the county that reveal the authority’s rates of payment for health care services arranged or provided by the authority or its deliberative processes, strategies, discussions, communications, or any other portion of the negotiations with providers of health care services or Medi-Cal, health care plans, or other payers for rates of payment, shall not be required to be disclosed pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), or any similar local law requiring the disclosure of public records. However, three years after a contract or amendment to a contract is fully executed, the portion of the contract or amendment containing the rates of payment shall be open to inspection.
(g) The authority shall be a public agency that is a local unit of government for purposes of eligibility with respect to grants and other funding and loan guarantee programs. Contributions to the authority shall be tax deductible to the extent permitted by state and federal law. Nonproprietary income of the authority shall be exempt from state income taxation.
(h) Unless otherwise provided by the board of supervisors by way of resolution, the authority is empowered, or the board of supervisors is empowered on behalf of the authority, to apply as a public agency for one or more licenses for the provision of health care or the operation of a health care service plan pursuant to statutes and regulations governing licensing as currently written or subsequently amended.
(i) The statutory authority of a board of supervisors to prescribe rules that authorize a county hospital to integrate its services with those of other providers into a system of community service that offers free choice of hospitals to those requiring hospital care, as set forth in Section 14000.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, shall apply to the authority and the board of governors.
(j) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, provisions of the Evidence Code, the Government Code, including the Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), the Civil Code, the Business and Professions Code, and other applicable law pertaining to the confidentiality of peer review activities of peer review bodies shall apply to the peer review activities of the authority, or any peer review body, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 805 of the Business and Professions Code, formed pursuant to the powers granted to the authority. The laws pertaining to the confidentiality of peer review activities shall be together construed as extending, to the extent permitted by law, the maximum degree of protection of confidentiality.
(2) Notwithstanding Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, and Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of, the Government Code, or any other provision of law, any peer review body formed pursuant to the powers granted to the authority, may, at its discretion and without notice to the public, meet in closed session, so long as the purpose of the meeting is the peer review body’s discharge of its responsibility to evaluate and improve the quality of care rendered by health facilities and health practitioners. The peer review body and its members shall receive, to the fullest extent, all immunities, privileges, and protections available to those peer review bodies, their individual members, and persons or entities assisting in the peer review process, including those afforded by Section 1157 of the Evidence Code and Section 1370. Peer review proceedings shall constitute an official proceeding authorized by law within the meaning of Section 47 of the Civil Code and those privileges set forth in that section with respect to official proceedings shall apply to peer review proceedings of the authority.
(3) Notwithstanding the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), or Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of, and Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of, the Government Code, or any other provision of state or local law requiring disclosure of public records, those records of a peer review body formed pursuant to the powers granted to the authority, shall not be required to be disclosed. The records and proceedings of the peer review body and its individual members shall receive, to the fullest extent, all immunities, privileges, and protections available to those records and proceedings, including those afforded by Section 1157 of the Evidence Code and Section 1370 of the Health and Safety Code.
(4) If the authority is required by law or contractual obligation to submit to the state or federal government peer review information or information relevant to the credentialing of a participating provider, that submission shall not constitute a waiver of confidentiality.
(5) Notwithstanding any other law, Section 1461 shall apply to hearings on reports of hospital medical audit or quality assurance committees.
(k) Except as expressly provided by other provisions of this section, all exemptions and exclusions from disclosure as public records pursuant to this chapter and the California Public Records Act, including, but not limited to, those pertaining to trade secrets and information withheld in the public interest, shall be fully applicable to the authority, and for the board of supervisors, and all state and local agencies with respect to all writings that the authority is required to prepare, produce, or submit, and which shall not constitute a waiver of exemption from disclosure.
(l) The authority and the county, or any combination thereof, may engage in marketing, advertising, and promotion of the medical and health care services made available to the community by the authority.
(m) (1) The board of supervisors may contract for services or purchase items on behalf of the authority.
(2) Unless otherwise provided for, and subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in the enabling ordinance, the board of governors shall have authority over procurement and contracts for the authority and shall adopt written rules, regulations, and procedures with regard to these functions. The authority’s ability to contract for personnel or other services and items it deems necessary, appropriate, or convenient for the conduct of its activities consistent with its purposes shall only be limited by the provisions in this chapter and obligations under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code).
(3) Contracts by and between the authority and a public agency, and contracts by and between the authority and providers of health care, goods, or services, may be let on a nonbid basis and shall be exempt from Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code.
(n) The authority may contract with the county for services and personnel upon mutually agreeable terms.
(o) Notwithstanding Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 1125) of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, related to incompatible activities, Section 1099 of the Government Code, related to incompatible offices, or any other law, a member of the authority’s administrative staff shall not be considered to hold an incompatible office or to be engaged in activities inconsistent and incompatible with the member’s duties as a result of the member’s employment or affiliation with the county or an agency of the county.
(p) The board of governors and the officers and employees of the authority are public employees for purposes of Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1 of the Government Code, relating to claims and actions against public entities and public employees, and shall be protected by the immunities applicable to public entities and public employees governed by Part 2 (commencing with Section 814) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code, except as provided by other statutes or regulations that apply expressly to the authority.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 271. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.)