Chapter 10Desert Healthcare District Reorganization

Section § 32499

Explanation

The Desert Healthcare District can be expanded to include the East Coachella Valley region. To do this, they must file a resolution with the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to start the expansion process. This includes all the current areas and additional communities like Indian Wells, La Quinta, and Indio.

The LAFCO will hold a hearing and manage an election within 150 days to decide on the proposed expansion. This election requires a majority vote from residents in the area to be annexed, as well as approval for any new funding methods needed for the expanded district's services.

The expansion won't be subject to protest proceedings, and no other law can disapprove the application. The Desert Healthcare District will also cover the costs of conducting the necessary election.

(a)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(a) The Desert Healthcare District may be expanded in accordance with this chapter. All other provisions of this division shall apply to the Desert Healthcare District following its reorganization, except as provided in this chapter.
(b)Copy CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(b)
(1)Copy CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(b)(1) On or before January 5, 2017, the Desert Healthcare District shall file a resolution of application with the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 56654 of the Government Code, to initiate proceedings by the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission for the purpose of expanding the Desert Healthcare District to include the East Coachella Valley region. The expanded district shall include all communities served by the Desert Healthcare District as of the date of the filing of the resolution of application, and shall also include, but not be limited to, the communities of Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, and Coachella, and the unincorporated areas of Bermuda Dunes, Mecca, Thermal, Oasis, North Shore, and Vista Santa Rosa. The resolution of application shall comply with Section 56652 of the Government Code and shall specify the source of funding for the expanded district. The Desert Healthcare District shall pay any fees associated with the resolution of application.
(2)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(b)(2) The Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission proceeding shall be deemed initiated on the date the resolution of application is accepted for filing. Subsequent to initiation of the proceeding, the commission shall hold a hearing pursuant to Section 56666 of the Government Code. The commission shall comply with the notice requirements of Sections 56660 and 56661 of the Government Code in connection with the hearing.
(3)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(b)(3) The Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission shall complete its proceedings and direct the election required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) no later than 150 days following receipt of the completed resolution of application. Notwithstanding any other law, the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission shall not have the power to disapprove the resolution of application.
(4)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(b)(4) Notwithstanding any other law, the resolution of application filed by the Desert Healthcare District pursuant to this subdivision shall not be subject to any protest proceedings.
(c)Copy CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(c)
(1)Copy CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(c)(1) The Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission shall order the expansion of the district subject to a vote of the registered voters residing within the territory to be annexed at an election following the completion of proceedings pursuant to subdivision (b). The commission may condition the annexation on the district’s imposition of sufficient revenues to provide services within the territory to be annexed, including, but not limited to, the concurrent approval of special taxes or benefit assessments that will generate those sufficient revenues.
(2)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(c)(2) The Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission shall direct the Board of Supervisors of the County of Riverside to direct county officials to conduct the necessary election for approval of district expansion by placing approval of district expansion, pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 57118 of the Government Code, and approval of any necessary funding source for the expanded district that requires voter approval on the ballot at the next countywide election.
(3)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(c)(3) If a majority of the voters within the territory ordered to be annexed vote in favor of the expanded district and if a number of voters required under applicable law to approve any necessary funding source that requires voter approval vote in favor of that funding source, the district shall be expanded in accordance with this chapter.
(4)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(c)(4) The district shall pay to the county the actual cost of the services rendered in conducting the election.
(d)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(d) The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code) shall not apply to the expansion of the district pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c), except as specified in this part. The act shall apply to any other change of organization or reorganization as defined in that act, following the reorganization of the district pursuant to this section.
(e)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499(e) As used in this chapter, “district” means the Desert Healthcare District.
Desert Healthcare District expansion East Coachella Valley Riverside County LAFCO resolution of application funding source voter approval election for expansion annexation conditions district services nontax protest special taxes benefit assessments countywide election local government reorganization Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 416, Sec. 1. (AB 2414) Effective January 1, 2017.)

Section § 32499.2

Explanation

This law section talks about what happens when the Desert Healthcare District expands. When it does, the Board of Directors must increase from five to seven members. They don't need a vote or petition to do this, and the resolution to add the new members becomes effective immediately.

Two new seats are created by this expansion, and these are filled by appointing registered voters who live in the new territory added by the district. The board assigns initial terms for the new members by a random drawing, with one ending in 2020 and the other in 2022.

If these new positions become vacant after the first appointments, other legal methods will be used to fill them, changing slightly after January 1, 2020. However, all of this only applies if the district actually expands.

(a)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.2(a) Thirty days after the expansion of the district, and notwithstanding Sections 32100.01 and 32100.02, the Board of Directors of the Desert Healthcare District shall adopt a resolution to increase the number of members of its board of directors from five to seven without the necessity of a petition or approval thereof by voters residing within the district. The resolution shall become effective on the date of, and subject to any conditions specified in, the resolution.
(b)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.2(b) The additional vacancies created by the expansion shall be filled by appointment by the board of directors. A person appointed to fill a vacancy created by subdivision (a) shall be a registered voter and a resident of the territory annexed by the district pursuant to Section 32499.
(c)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.2(c) Upon appointment, the board shall, by lot, designate one member appointed pursuant to subdivision (b) to have an initial term of office from the date of appointment until the date described in Section 10554 of the Elections Code that occurs in 2020 and one member appointed pursuant to subdivision (b) to have an initial term of office from the date of appointment until the date described in Section 10554 of the Elections Code that occurs in 2022.
(d)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.2(d) A vacancy in one or both of the board positions created by subdivision (a) after the first appointments to those positions pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be filled by the methods prescribed in Section 1780 of the Government Code, and, after January 1, 2020, shall be filled by the methods prescribed in Section 32499.3.
(e)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.2(e) This section shall only become operative if the Desert Healthcare District is expanded in accordance with Section 32499.
Desert Healthcare District expansion Board of Directors increase appointment of new members registered voters annexed territory initial term assignment random drawing of terms Elections Code 10554 filling board vacancies Government Code Section 1780 Section 32499.3 effective resolution district expansion conditions
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 126, Sec. 1. (AB 1095) Effective January 1, 2020. Section conditionally operative by its own provisions.)

Section § 32499.3

Explanation

This law ensures that once the Desert Healthcare District expands, its board of directors must divide the district into seven distinct voting areas. This division must consider the district's demographics and geography. The proposal will be subject to a public hearing, though the board's final decision on district boundaries is binding. Starting January 1, 2020, board members will be elected from these new voting districts, with each district electing one member. To run for the board, candidates must have been residents of their district for at least 30 days before the election. Any vacant board position should be filled with a new member from the same district by the remaining board members. These measures will only take effect if the district expands according to specified criteria.

(a)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.3(a) Following the expansion of the Board of Directors of the Desert Healthcare District, and notwithstanding Section 32100.1, the board of directors 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 first district election after January 1, 2020.
(b)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.3(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 his or her 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)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.3(c) The resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall declare the voting districts and describe the boundaries of each voting district.
(d)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.3(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 January 1, 2020.
(e)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.3(e) The voting districts established pursuant to this section shall be effective for the next district election after January 1, 2020. 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 he or she has been a resident of the voting district from which he or she is elected for 30 days next preceding the date of the election.
(f)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.3(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.
(g)CA Health and Safety Code § 32499.3(g) This section shall become operative only if the Desert Healthcare District is expanded in accordance with Section 32499.
Desert Healthcare District board of directors voting districts demographic factors geographic factors public hearing district boundaries district election district representation resident requirement board vacancy appointment of board member district expansion elector involvement demographic consideration
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 416, Sec. 1. (AB 2414) Effective January 1, 2017. Section conditionally operative by its own provisions.)

Section § 32499.4

Explanation

This law encourages the Desert Healthcare District to make the most of its resources by directly providing or funding health services within the district. This can include operating hospitals, clinics, ambulance services, senior and disability transportation, wellness centers, health education, mental health services, and veterans' health services, among others.

It is the intent of the Legislature that the Desert Healthcare District maximize the use of its assets to provide direct health services to individuals within the district through direct operation of or funding provided to organizations that own or operate hospitals, medical clinics, ambulance services, transportation programs for seniors or persons with disabilities, wellness centers, health education services, promotoras, mental health services, veterans’ health services, and other similar services.
Desert Healthcare District direct health services use of assets hospitals medical clinics ambulance services transportation programs seniors disabilities wellness centers health education services promotoras mental health services veterans' health services
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 416, Sec. 1. (AB 2414) Effective January 1, 2017.)