AB 1008,
as amended, Buchanan. Alameda County Medicalbegin delete Center: privatization of services.end deletebegin insert Center hospital authority.end insert
Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of Alameda County to establish an independent hospital authority strictly and exclusively dedicated to the management, administration, and control of the Alameda Medical Center, and sets forth the powers and duties of the hospital authority, including, but not limited to, the power to contract for services required to meet its obligations.
This bill would prohibit the hospital authority from entering into any contract with any private person or entity before January 1, 2024, to replace services being provided by physicians and surgeons who are employed by the hospital authority and in a recognized collective bargaining unit as of March 31, 2013, with services provided by a private person or entity without clear and convincing evidence that the needed medical care can only be delivered cost-effectively by a private contractor. The bill would require that the authority, prior to entering into a contract for any of those services, negotiate with the representative of the recognized collective bargaining unit of its physician and surgeon employees over the decision to privatize, and would require unresolved disputes to be submitted to final binding arbitration.
begin insertExisting law establishes the hospital authority as a district for the purposes of providing retirement benefits under the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 and provides that employees of the hospital authority are eligible to participate in the county employees’ retirement system to the extent permitted by law. Existing law establishes the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association as a retirement system pursuant to the provisions of the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would limit the participation of certain employees of the hospital authority, including those who are employees of a facility that is acquired by, or merged into, the hospital authority, in the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association, subject to specified criteria.
end insertThis bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for resolving the unique needs faced by the county with respect to the operation and administration of the medical center.
begin insertThis bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
end insertVote: begin deletemajority end deletebegin insert2⁄3end insert.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
begin insertThe Legislature finds that an agreement has been
2reached between Sutter Health, operators of San Leandro Hospital,
3and Alameda Health System (AHS) transferring ownership of San
4Leandro Hospital to AHS as of October 31, 2013. This bill is
5necessary to prevent the closure of the San Leandro Hospital in
P3 1order to ensure the continuation of employment and benefits for
2the employees of San Leandro Hospital and the continuation of
3care for the residents of Alameda County.end insert
begin insertSection 31552.4 is added to the end insertbegin insertGovernment Codeend insertbegin insert, to
5read:end insert
Employees and officers described in Section 101851
7of the Health and Safety Code shall not automatically become
8members of the retirement system of the health authority
9established pursuant to this chapter, and their eligibility for
10retirement benefits shall be established pursuant to the provisions
11of that section.
Section 101850 of the Health and Safety Code is
14amended to read:
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
16(a) (1) Due to the challenges facing the Alameda County
17Medical Center arising from changes in the public and private
18health industries, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors has
19determined that a transfer of governance of the Alameda County
20Medical Center to an independent governing body, a hospital
21authority, is needed to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and
22economy of the community health services provided at the medical
23center. The board of supervisors has further determined that the
24creation of an independent hospital authority strictly and
25exclusively dedicated to the management,
administration, and
26control of the medical center, in a manner consistent with the
27county’s obligations under Section 17000 of the Welfare and
28Institutions Code, is the best way to fulfill its commitment to the
29medically indigent, special needs, and general populations of
30Alameda County. To accomplish this, it is necessary that the board
31of supervisors be given authority to create a hospital authority.
32Because there is no general law under which this authority could
33be formed, the adoption of a special act and the formation of a
34special authority is required.
35(2) The following definitions shall apply for purposes of this
36section:
37(A) “The county” means the County of Alameda.
38(B) “Governing board” means the
governing body of the hospital
39authority.
P4 1(C) “Hospital authority” means the separate public agency
2established by the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County to
3manage, administer, and control the Alameda County Medical
4Center.
5(D) “Medical center” means the Alameda County Medical
6Center.
7(b) The board of supervisors of the county may, by ordinance,
8establish a hospital authority separate and apart from the county
9for the purpose of effecting a transfer of the management,
10administration, and control of the medical center in accordance
11with Section 14000.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. A
12hospital authority established pursuant to this chapter shall be
13strictly and exclusively dedicated to the management,
14administration,
and control of the medical center within parameters
15set forth in this chapter, and in the ordinance, bylaws, and contracts
16adopted by the board of supervisors which shall not be in conflict
17with this chapter, Section 1442.5 of this code, or Section 17000
18of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
19(c) A hospital authority established pursuant to this chapter shall
20be governed by a board that is appointed, both initially and
21continually, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Alameda.
22This hospital authority governing board shall reflect both the
23expertise necessary to maximize the quality and scope of care at
24the medical center in a fiscally responsible manner and the diverse
25interest that the medical center serves. The enabling ordinance
26shall specify the membership of the hospital authority governing
27board, the qualifications for individual
members, the manner of
28appointment, selection, or removal of governing board members,
29their terms of office, and all other matters that the board of
30supervisors deems necessary or convenient for the conduct of the
31hospital authority’s activities.
32(d) The mission of the hospital authority shall be the
33
management, administration, and other control, as determined by
34the board of supervisors, of the group of public hospitals, clinics,
35and programs that comprise the medical center, in a manner that
36ensures appropriate, quality, and cost-effective medical care as
37required of counties by Section 17000 of the Welfare and
38Institutions Code, and, to the extent feasible, other populations,
39including special populations in Alameda County.
P5 1(e) The board of supervisors shall adopt bylaws for the medical
2center that set forth those matters related to the operation of the
3medical center by the hospital authority that the board of
4supervisors deems necessary and appropriate. The bylaws shall
5become operative upon approval by a majority vote of the board
6of supervisors. Any changes or amendments to the bylaws shall
7be by majority vote of
the board of supervisors.
8(f) The hospital authority created and appointed pursuant to this
9section is a duly constituted governing body within the meaning
10of Section 1250 and Section 70035 of Title 22 of the California
11Code of Regulations as currently written or subsequently amended.
12(g) Unless otherwise provided by the board of supervisors by
13way of resolution, the hospital authority is empowered, or the
14board of supervisors is empowered on behalf of the hospital
15authority, to apply as a public agency for one or more licenses for
16the provision of health care pursuant to statutes and regulations
17governing licensing as currently written or subsequently amended.
18(h) In the event of a change of license ownership, the governing
19body
of the hospital authority shall comply with the obligations
20of governing bodies of general acute care hospitals generally as
21set forth in Section 70701 of Title 22 of the California Code of
22Regulations, as currently written or subsequently amended, as well
23as the terms and conditions of the license. The hospital authority
24shall be the responsible party with respect to compliance with these
25obligations, terms, and conditions.
26(i) (1) Any transfer by the county to the hospital authority of
27the administration, management, and control of the medical center,
28whether or not the transfer includes the surrendering by the county
29of the existing general acute care hospital license and corresponding
30application for a change of ownership of the license, shall not
31affect the eligibility of the county, or in the case of a change of
32license
ownership, the hospital authority, to do any of the
33following:
34(A) Participate in, and receive allocations pursuant to, the
35California Healthcare for the Indigent Program (CHIP).
36(B) Receive supplemental reimbursements from the Emergency
37Services and Supplemental Payments Fund created pursuant to
38Section 14085.6 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
39(C) Receive appropriations from the Medi-Cal Inpatient Payment
40Adjustment Fund without relieving the county of its obligation to
P6 1make intergovernmental transfer payments related to the Medi-Cal
2Inpatient Payment Adjustment Fund pursuant to Section 14163 of
3the Welfare and Institutions Code.
4(D) Receive Medi-Cal
capital supplements pursuant to Section
514085.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
6(E) Receive any other funds that would otherwise be available
7to a county hospital.
8(2) Any transfer described in paragraph (1) shall not otherwise
9disqualify the county, or in the case of a change in license
10ownership, the hospital authority, from participating in any of the
11following:
12(A) Other funding sources either specific to county hospitals or
13county ambulatory care clinics or for which there are special
14provisions specific to county hospitals or to county ambulatory
15care clinics.
16(B) Funding programs in which the county, on behalf of the
17medical center and the
Alameda County Health Care Services
18Agency, had participated prior to the creation of the hospital
19authority, or would otherwise be qualified to participate in had the
20hospital authority not been created, and administration,
21management, and control not been transferred by the county to the
22hospital authority, pursuant to this chapter.
23(j) A hospital authority created pursuant to this chapter shall be
24a legal entity separate and apart from the county and shall file the
25statement required by Section 53051 of the Government Code.
26The hospital authority shall be a government entity separate and
27apart from the county, and shall not be considered to be an agency,
28division, or department of the county. The hospital authority shall
29not be governed by, nor be subject to, the charter of the county
30and shall not be subject to policies or operational
rules of the
31county, including, but not limited to, those relating to personnel
32and procurement.
33(k) (1) Any contract executed by and between the county and
34the hospital authority shall provide that liabilities or obligations
35 of the hospital authority with respect to its activities pursuant to
36the contract shall be the liabilities or obligations of the hospital
37authority, and shall not become the liabilities or obligations of the
38county.
39(2) Any liabilities or obligations of the hospital authority with
40respect to the liquidation or disposition of the hospital authority’s
P7 1assets upon termination of the hospital authority shall not become
2the liabilities or obligations of the county.
3(3) Any
obligation of the hospital authority, statutory,
4contractual, or otherwise, shall be the obligation solely of the
5hospital authority and shall not be the obligation of the county or
6the state.
7(l) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any
8transfer of the administration, management, or assets of the medical
9center, whether or not accompanied by a change in licensing, shall
10not relieve the county of the ultimate responsibility for indigent
11care pursuant to Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions
12Code or any obligation pursuant to Section 1442.5 of this code.
13(2) Any contract executed by and between the county and the
14hospital authority shall provide for the indemnification of the
15county by the hospital authority for liabilities as
specifically set
16forth in the contract, except that the contract shall include a
17provision that the county shall remain liable for its own negligent
18acts.
19(3) Indemnification by the hospital authority shall not be
20construed as divesting the county from its ultimate responsibility
21for compliance with Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions
22Code.
23(m) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section relating to
24the obligations and liabilities of the hospital authority, a transfer
25of control or ownership of the medical center shall confer onto the
26hospital authority all the rights and duties set forth in state law
27with respect to hospitals owned or operated by a county.
28(n) (1) A transfer of
the maintenance, operation, and
29management or ownership of the medical center to the hospital
30authority shall comply with the provisions of Section 14000.2 of
31the Welfare and Institutions Code.
32(2) A transfer of maintenance, operation, and management or
33ownership to the hospital authority may be made with or without
34the payment of a purchase price by the hospital authority and
35otherwise upon the terms and conditions that the parties may
36mutually agree, which terms and conditions shall include those
37found necessary by the board of supervisors to ensure that the
38transfer will constitute an ongoing material benefit to the county
39and its residents.
P8 1(3) A transfer of the maintenance, operation, and management
2to the hospital authority shall not be construed as empowering the
3hospital
authority to transfer any ownership interest of the county
4in the medical center except as otherwise approved by the board
5of supervisors.
6(o) The board of supervisors shall retain control over the use of
7the medical center physical plant and facilities except as otherwise
8specifically provided for in lawful agreements entered into by the
9board of supervisors. Any lease agreement or other agreement
10between the county and the hospital authority shall provide that
11county premises shall not be sublet without the approval of the
12board of supervisors.
13(p) The statutory authority of a board of supervisors to prescribe
14rules that authorize a county hospital to integrate its services with
15those of other hospitals into a system of community service that
16offers free choice of hospitals to
those requiring hospital care, as
17set forth in Section 14000.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,
18shall apply to the hospital authority upon a transfer of maintenance,
19 operation, and management or ownership of the medical center by
20the county to the hospital authority.
21(q) The hospital authority shall have the power to acquire and
22possess real or personal property and may dispose of real or
23personal property other than that owned by the county, as may be
24necessary for the performance of its functions. The hospital
25authority shall have the power to sue or be sued, to employ
26personnel, and to contract for services required to meet its
27obligations. Before January 1, 2024, the hospital authority shall
28not enter into a contract with any private person or entity to replace
29services being provided by physicians and surgeons who are
30
employed by the hospital authority and in a recognized collective
31bargaining unit as of March 31, 2013, with services provided by
32a private person or entity without clear and convincing evidence
33that the needed medical care can only be delivered cost-effectively
34by a private contractor. Prior to entering into a contract for any of
35those services, the authority shall negotiate with the representative
36of the recognized collective bargaining unit of its physician and
37surgeon employees over the decision to privatize and, if unable to
38resolve any dispute through negotiations, shall submit the matter
39to final binding arbitration.
P9 1(r) Any agreement between the county and the hospital authority
2shall provide that all existing services provided by the medical
3center shall continue to be provided to the county through the
4medical center
subject to the policy of the county and consistent
5with the county’s obligations under Section 17000 of the Welfare
6and Institutions Code.
7(s) A hospital authority to which the maintenance, operation,
8and management or ownership of the medical center is transferred
9shall be a “district” within the meaning set forth in the County
10Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (Chapter 3 (commencing with
11Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3 of the Government
12Code). Employees of a hospital authority are eligible to participate
13in the County Employees Retirement System to the extent
14permitted bybegin delete law.end deletebegin insert end insertbegin insertlaw,
except as described in Section 101851.end insert
15(t) Members of the governing board of the hospital authority
16shall not be vicariously liable for injuries caused by the act or
17omission of the hospital authority to the extent that protection
18applies to members of governing boards of local public entities
19generally under Section 820.9 of the Government Code.
20(u) The hospital authority shall be a public agency subject to
21the Myers-Milias-Brown Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with
22Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code).
23(v) Any transfer of functions from county employee
24classifications
to a hospital authority established pursuant to this
25section shall result in the recognition by the hospital authority of
26the employee organization that represented the classifications
27performing those functions at the time of the transfer.
28(w) (1) In exercising its powers to employ personnel, as set
29forth in subdivision (p), the hospital authority shall implement,
30and the board of supervisors shall adopt, a personnel transition
31plan. The personnel transition plan shall require all of the
32following:
33(A) Ongoing communications to employees and recognized
34employee organizations regarding the impact of the transition on
35existing medical center employees and employee classifications.
36(B) Meeting and conferring on all of the following issues:
37(i) The timeframe for which the transfer of personnel shall occur.
38The timeframe shall be subject to modification by the board of
39supervisors as appropriate, but in no event shall it exceed one year
P10 1from the effective date of transfer of governance from the board
2of supervisors to the hospital authority.
3(ii) A specified period of time during which employees of the
4county impacted by the transfer of governance may elect to be
5appointed to vacant positions with the Alameda County Health
6Care Services Agency for which they have tenure.
7(iii) A specified period of time during which employees of the
8county impacted by the transfer of governance may elect to be
9considered for
reinstatement into positions with the county for
10which they are qualified and eligible.
11(iv) Compensation for vacation leave and compensatory leave
12accrued while employed with the county in a manner that grants
13affected employees the option of either transferring balances or
14receiving compensation to the degree permitted employees laid
15off from service with the county.
16(v) A transfer of sick leave accrued while employed with the
17county to hospital authority employment.
18(vi) The recognition by the hospital authority of service with
19the county in determining the rate at which vacation accrues.
20(vii) The possible preservation of seniority, pensions, health
21benefits,
and other applicable accrued benefits of employees of
22the county impacted by the transfer of governance.
23(2) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as prohibiting
24the hospital authority from determining the number of employees,
25the number of full-time equivalent positions, the job descriptions,
26and the nature and extent of classified employment positions.
27(3) Employees of the hospital authority are public employees
28for purposes of Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of
29Title 1 of the Government Code relating to claims and actions
30against public entities and public employees.
31(x) Any hospital authority created pursuant to this section shall
32be bound by the terms of the memorandum of understanding
33executed by
and between the county and health care and
34management employee organizations that is in effect as of the date
35this legislation becomes operative in the county. Upon the
36expiration of the memorandum of understanding, the hospital
37authority shall have sole authority to negotiate subsequent
38memorandums of understanding with appropriate employee
39organizations. Subsequent memorandums of understanding shall
40be approved by the hospital authority.
P11 1(y) The hospital authority created pursuant to this section may
2borrow from the county and the county may lend the hospital
3authority funds or issue revenue anticipation notes to obtain those
4funds necessary to operate the medical center and otherwise provide
5medical services.
6(z) The hospital authority shall be subject to state and federal
7taxation
laws that are applicable to counties generally.
8(aa) The hospital authority, the county, or both, may engage in
9marketing, advertising, and promotion of the medical and health
10care services made available to the community at the medical
11center.
12(bb) The hospital authority shall not be a “person” subject to
13suit under the Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
1416700) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions
15Code).
16(cc) Notwithstanding Article 4.7 (commencing with Section
171125) of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government
18Code related to incompatible activities, no member of the hospital
19authority administrative staff shall be considered to be engaged in
20activities inconsistent
and incompatible with his or her duties as
21a result of employment or affiliation with the county.
22(dd) (1) The hospital authority may use a computerized
23management information system in connection with the
24administration of the medical center.
25(2) Information maintained in the management information
26system or in other filing and records maintenance systems that is
27confidential and protected by law shall not be disclosed except as
28provided by law.
29(3) The records of the hospital authority, whether paper records,
30records maintained in the management information system, or
31records in any other form, that relate to trade secrets or to payment
32rates or the determination thereof, or which relate to contract
33
negotiations with providers of health care, shall not be subject to
34disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Chapter
355 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the
36Government Code). The transmission of the records, or the
37information contained therein in an alternative form, to the board
38of supervisors shall not constitute a waiver of exemption from
39disclosure, and the records and information once transmitted shall
40be subject to this same exemption. The information, if compelled
P12 1pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction or
2administrative body in a manner permitted by law, shall be limited
3to in-camera review, which, at the discretion of the court, may
4include the parties to the proceeding, and shall not be made a part
5of the court file unless sealed.
6(ee) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the governing board
7may order that a meeting held solely for the purpose of discussion
8or taking action on hospital authority trade secrets, as defined in
9subdivision (d) of Section 3426.1 of the Civil Code, shall be held
10in closed session. The requirements of making a public report of
11actions taken in closed session and the vote or abstention of every
12member present may be limited to a brief general description
13devoid of the information constituting the trade secret.
14(2) The governing board may delete the portion or portions
15containing trade secrets from any documents that were finally
16approved in the closed session that are provided to persons who
17have made the timely or standing request.
18(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed as
preventing the
19governing board from meeting in closed session as otherwise
20provided by law.
21(ff) Open sessions of the hospital authority shall constitute
22official proceedings authorized by law within the meaning of
23Section 47 of the Civil Code. The privileges set forth in that section
24with respect to official proceedings shall apply to open sessions
25of the hospital authority.
26(gg) The hospital authority shall be a public agency for purposes
27of eligibility with respect to grants and other funding and loan
28guarantee programs. Contributions to the hospital authority shall
29be tax deductible to the extent permitted by state and federal law.
30Nonproprietary income of the hospital authority shall be exempt
31from state income taxation.
32(hh) Contracts by and between the hospital authority and the
33state and contracts by and between the hospital authority and
34providers of health care, goods, or services may be let on a nonbid
35basis and shall be exempt from Chapter 2 (commencing with
36Section 10290) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code.
37(ii) (1) Provisions of the Evidence Code, the Government Code,
38including the Public Records Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with
39Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code),
40the Civil Code, the Business and Professions Code, and other
P13 1applicable law pertaining to the confidentiality of peer review
2activities of peer review bodies shall apply to the peer review
3activities of the hospital authority. Peer review proceedings shall
4constitute an official proceeding authorized by law within the
5meaning
of Section 47 of the Civil Code and those privileges set
6forth in that section with respect to official proceedings shall apply
7to peer review proceedings of the hospital authority. If the hospital
8authority is required by law or contractual obligation to submit to
9the state or federal government peer review information or
10information relevant to the credentialing of a participating provider,
11that submission shall not constitute a waiver of confidentiality.
12The laws pertaining to the confidentiality of peer review activities
13shall be together construed as extending, to the extent permitted
14by law, the maximum degree of protection of confidentiality.
15(2) Notwithstanding any other law, Section 1461 shall apply to
16hearings on the reports of hospital medical audit or quality
17assurance committees.
18(jj) The hospital authority shall carry general liability insurance
19to the extent sufficient to cover its activities.
20(kk) In the event the board of supervisors determines that the
21hospital authority should no longer function for the purposes as
22set forth in this chapter, the board of supervisors may, by ordinance,
23terminate the activities of the hospital authority and expire the
24hospital authority as an entity.
25(ll) A hospital authority which is created pursuant to this section
26but which does not obtain the administration, management, and
27control of the medical center or which has those duties and
28responsibilities revoked by the board of supervisors shall not be
29empowered with the powers enumerated in this section.
30(mm) (1) The county shall establish baseline data reporting
31requirements for the medical center consistent with the Medically
32Indigent Health Care Reporting System (MICRS) program
33
established pursuant to Section 16910 of the Welfare and
34Institutions Code and shall collect that data for at least one year
35prior to the final transfer of the medical center to the hospital
36authority established pursuant to this chapter. The baseline data
37shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
38(A) Inpatient days by facility by quarter.
39(B) Outpatient visits by facility by quarter.
40(C) Emergency room visits by facility by quarter.
P14 1(D) Number of unduplicated users receiving services within the
2medical center.
3(2) Upon transfer of the medical center, the county shall
4establish
baseline data reporting requirements for each of the
5medical center inpatient facilities consistent with data reporting
6requirements of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and
7Development, including, but not limited to, monthly average daily
8census by facility for all of the following:
9(A) Acute care, excluding newborns.
10(B) Newborns.
11(C) Skilled nursing facility, in a distinct part.
12(3) From the date of transfer of the medical center to the hospital
13authority, the hospital authority shall provide the county with
14quarterly reports specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) and any other
15data required by the county. The county, in consultation with health
16care
consumer groups, shall develop other data requirements that
17shall include, at a minimum, reasonable measurements of the
18changes in medical care for the indigent population of Alameda
19
County that result from the transfer of the administration,
20management, and control of the medical center from the county
21to the hospital authority.
22(nn) A hospital authority established pursuant to this section
23shall comply with the requirements of Sections 53260 and 53261
24of the Government Code.
begin insertSection 101851 is added to the end insertbegin insertHealth and Safety Codeend insertbegin insert,
26to read:end insert
On or after the effective date of the act adding this
28section, the eligibility of an employee of the hospital authority
29described in this section to participate in the Alameda County
30Employees’ Retirement Association, as prescribed in subdivision
31(s) of Section 101850, is limited as follows:
32(a) (1) A person who has the following characteristics shall not
33become a member of the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement
34Association upon entering the employ of the hospital authority or
35during a subsequent period of employment with the hospital
36authority and shall instead be subject to paragraph (2):
37(A) The person is an employee of a facility on the date
that the
38facility is acquired by, or merged into, the hospital authority or
39the person later becomes an employee of that facility after its
40acquisition or merger.
P15 1(B) The person is not a member of the Alameda County
2Employees’ Retirement Association on the date that the facility is
3acquired by, or merged into, the hospital authority or when the
4person later becomes an employee of that facility.
5(C) The person is not subject to a memorandum of understanding
6between the facility or hospital authority and a recognized union
7or bargaining agent.
8(2) A person described by this subdivision shall become a
9participant in one or more retirement plans sponsored by the
10hospital authority that were adopted by the hospital authority on
11November 27, 2012, or
as subsequently amended.
12(b) (1) A person who has the following characteristics may
13become a member of the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement
14Association, subject to paragraph (2), upon entering the employ
15of the hospital authority or during a subsequent period of
16employment with the hospital authority:
17(A) The person is an employee of a facility on the date that the
18facility is acquired by, or merged into, the hospital authority or
19the person later becomes an employee of that facility after its
20acquisition or merger.
21(B) The person is not a member of the Alameda County
22Employees’ Retirement Association on the date that the facility is
23acquired by, or merged into, the hospital authority or when the
24person later becomes an employee of that
facility.
25(C) The person is subject to a memorandum of understanding
26between the facility or hospital authority and a recognized union
27or bargaining agent.
28(2) The retirement benefits of a person described in this
29subdivision shall be governed by the applicable memorandum of
30understanding, which may provide for the person’s membership
31in the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association or
32prohibit that membership and instead provide either of the
33following:
34(A) That the person shall become a participant in one or more
35retirement plans sponsored by the hospital authority that were
36adopted by the hospital authority on November 27, 2012, or as
37subsequently amended.
38(B) That the hospital authority contribute on behalf of the person
39to a pension trust sponsored by a third party pursuant to which
40the hospital authority qualifies as a participating employer.
P16 1(c) (1) Upon adoption of a resolution by the hospital authority
2making this subdivision applicable, a person who has the following
3characteristics shall not become a member of the Alameda County
4Employees’ Retirement Association upon entering the employ of
5the hospital authority and shall instead be subject to paragraph
6(2):
7(A) The person is hired by the hospital authority on or after the
8effective date of this section and on or after the effective date of
9the resolution.
10(B) The person is not a
member of the Alameda County
11Employees’ Retirement Association on the date of hire.
12(C) The person is not subject to a memorandum of understanding
13between the hospital authority and a recognized union or
14bargaining agent.
15(2) A person described by this subdivision shall become a
16participant in one or more retirement plans sponsored by the
17hospital authority that were adopted by the hospital authority on
18November 27, 2012, or as subsequently amended.
19(d) A person who is employed by the hospital authority on or
20before the effective date of this section who is not qualified for
21membership in the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement
22Association at that time shall not become qualified for membership
23as a result of subsequent employment with the
hospital authority
24on or after the effective date of this section. A person described in
25this subdivision shall be eligible to become a participant in one
26or more retirement plans sponsored by the hospital authority that
27were adopted by the hospital authority on November 27, 2012, or
28as subsequently amended.
The Legislature finds and declares that a special law
31is necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable
32within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California
33Constitution because of the unique needs faced by Alameda County
34with respect to the operation and administration of Alameda County
35Medical Center.
This act is an urgency statute necessary for the
37immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within
38the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into
39immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
P17 1In order to provide for the transfer of health care facilities that
2will ensure the continued access to care for residents of Alameda
3County, it is necessary that this bill take effect immediately.
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