STATUTES OF CALIFORNIA [Ch. 932
CHAPTER 932
An act to add Division 23, comprising Sections 32000 to 32313, inclusive, to the Health and Safety Code, relating to the establishment, organization, government and powers of hospital districts.
Approved by Governor June 18, 1945. Filed with Secretary of State
June 18, 1945.]
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION I. Division 23, comprising Sections 32000 to 32313, inclusive, is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read :
DIVISION 23.    HOSPITAL DISTRICTS
CHAPTER I.    FORMATION OF DISTRICT

     32000. This division shall be known and may be cited as "The Local Hospital District Law."
    32001. A local hospital district may be organized, incorporated and managed as provided in this division and may exercise the powers herein granted or necessarily implied. Such a district may include incorporated or unincorporated territory, or both, or territory in any one or more counties. The territory comprising this district need not be contiguous but the territory of a municipal corporation shall not be divided. No territory which is part of a county having a population in excess of 200,000 as ascertained by the last preceding census taken under the authority of the Congress of the United States shall be included in any local hospital district.
    32002. The manner of formation of local hospital districts, the conducting of elections, the annexation and exclusion of territory and the consolidation and dissolution of such districts shall be as in the manner provided by "An act relating to governmental units known as districts, and providing a procedure for the organization, operation, government, consolidation and dissolution of such districts," approved June 12, 1933(Stats 1933 p.2280). The provisions of Section 4 of said act and all of the provisions of Divisions I, II, III and IV thereof are hereby incorporated in this division by reference and shall have the same effect and force as if fully set forth herein.
    32003. Whenever the formation of a local hospital district is desired, a petition may be presented at a regular meeting of the supervising authority of the county in which the land, or a greater portion of the land, in the proposed district is situated, said petition to be signed by the registered voters residing within the boundaries of the proposed district, equal in number to at least 15 per cent of the number of votes cast in said proposed district for the office of Governor at the last preceding election at which a Governor was elected. The number of written protests required to terminate the proceedings shall be a majority of the registered voters residing in the proposed district.
    In respect to an election held to determine whether or not a local hospital district shall be formed, the precincts shall be established, the election conducted, and the returns canvassed in such a manner that the results may be declared, and they shall be declared, separately as to each county supervisorial district in which is situated any of the land proposed to the voters for inclusion in the hospital district. If in any such supervisorial district a majority of the votes cast be in favor of organization. the; supervising authority shall declare the hospital district duly organized and shall define its boundaries, including therein all of the lands that were proposed to the voters for inclusion in the hospital district and that are situate in any supervisorial district in which a majority of the votes
east are in favor of organization. If a majority of the votes
Cast in any supervisorial district be against organization, none of the land in that supervisorial district shall be included in the
hospital district.
    32004. A petition for annexation of land to a local hospital district shall be signed by registered voters residing within the territory proposed for annexation, equal in number to at least 13 per cent of the number of votes cast in that territory for the office of Governor at the last preceding election at which a Governor was elected. If, upon the hearing held pursuant to the provisions of Division 3 of the act cited in Section 32002, the governing body deems it for the best interest of the district that said territory, or part thereof, be annexed, it shall call and hold an election to decide whether or not the proposed annexation shall take place. If a majority of the votes east at such election, the district and in said territory respectively, be in favor of annexation, the district governing body shall by resolution declare the territory annexed and shall describe the altered boundaries of the district.

CHAPTER 2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Article 1. Election and Organization

    32100. The elective officers of a local hospital district shall be a board of hospital directors consisting of five members, each of whom shall be a registered voter residing in the district and whose terms shall be four years, with the exception of the first hoard. The first board of directors shall be appointed, upon the formation of the district, by the board of supervisors of the county in which the land or a greater part of the land in the district is situated. Upon their appointment, the first board so appointed shall so classify themselves by lot that two members thereof shall go out of office upon the election and classification of their successors at the first general election after the district is formed, and three members will go out of office upon the election and qualification of their successors at the second general election after the district is formed.
Powers of district

Article 2. Powers
    32121. Each local hospital district shall have and exercise the following powers :
(a) To have and use a corporate seal and alter it at pleasure;
(b) To sue and be sued in all courts and places and in all actions and proceedings whatever;
(c) To purchase, receive, have, take, hold, lease, use and enjoy property of every kind and description within the limits of the district, and to control, dispose of, convey and encumber the same and create a leasehold interest in same for the benefit of the district;
(d) To exercise the right of eminent domain for the purpose of acquiring real or personal property of every kind necessary to the exercise of any of the powers of the district;
(e) To administer any trust declared or created for hos­pitals of the district, and received by gift, devise, or bequest and hold in trust or otherwise, property situated in this State or elsewhere, and where not otherwise provided, dispose of the same for the benefit of such hospitals.
(f) To prescribe the duties and powers of the manager, secretary and other officers and employees of any such hospitals; to determine the number of and appoint all such officers and employees, and to fix their compensation, which said officers and employees shall hold their offices or positions at the pleasure of said boards.
(g) To do any and all things which an individual might do which is necessary for and to the advantage of a hospital and a nurses' training school.
(h) To establish, maintain and operate one or more hos­pitals, situated within the territorial limits of the district.
(i) To do any and all other acts and things necessary to carry out the provisions of this division.
32122. The board of directors may purchase all necessary surgical instruments and hospital equipment and equipment for nurses' homes and all other property necessary for equipping a hospital and nurses' home.
32123. The board of directors may purchase such real property, and erect or rent and equip such buildings or building, room or rooms as may be necessary for the hospital.
32124. The board of directors may establish a nurses' training school in connection with the hospital, prescribe a course of study for such training and after the completion of the course, provide for the issuance of diplomas to graduate nurses.
32125. The board of directors may make and enforce all ­rules, regulations and by-laws necessary for the administration, government, protection and maintenance of hospitals under their management and all property belonging thereto and may prescribe the terms upon which patients may be admitted thereto. In fixing the rates the board shall, insofar as pos­sible establish such rates as will permit the hospital to be operated upon a self-supporting basis. The board may establish different rates for residents of the district than for persons who do not reside within the district.
32126. The board of directors may provide for the operation and maintenance through tenants of the whole or any part of any hospital acquired or constructed by it pursuant to this division, and for such purpose may enter into any lease agree­ment which it believes will best serve the interest of the district. No such lease shall run for a term in excess of 10 years.