The Senate Government Operations & Security Committee held a public hearing on Monday regarding three bills that impose unnecessary restrictions on public hospital districts. WSHA and AWPHD strongly oppose these bills, which place unnecessary restrictions on public hospital districts.
Senate Bill 6021 would require that the existing affiliation between King County Public Hospital District No. 1 and University of Washington Medical Center be ratified by a vote of the people despite the fact that the agreement has been repeatedly upheld by the courts.
The affiliation is already settled law, and the bill sets the precedent that affiliations of any sort might be subject to a popular vote making it difficult to build the collaborations necessary to meet patient needs.
Senate Bill 6037 would require a vote of the people for public hospital districts to enter into an affiliation in which a certain percentage of the district’s operations are contracted to another entity.
Senate Bill 6312 would require a vote of the people for public hospital districts to transfer “core legislative powers” to another agency, such as a partner hospital. AWPHD testified against each of these bills.
For more information, contact Ben Lindekugel (206/216-2528).
