48-1907. Powers of hospital district

A. A hospital district may:

1. Adopt and use a corporate seal.

2. Sue and be sued in all courts and places and in all actions and proceedings.

3. Purchase, receive, have, take, hold, lease, use and enjoy property of every kind and description within the limits of the district, and control, dispose of, convey, encumber and create leasehold interests in such property for the benefit of the district.

4. Administer trusts declared or created for the hospital district, and receive by gift, devise or bequest and hold in trust or otherwise, property located within the state or elsewhere and, when not otherwise provided, dispose of such property for the benefit of the hospital district.

5. Provide for the operation and maintenance at a single location within the district of a hospital, urgent care center, combined hospital and ambulance service when authorized to do so pursuant to title 36, chapter 21.1, article 2, or combined urgent care center and ambulance service, when authorized to do so pursuant to title 36, chapter 21.1, article 2, owned or operated by the district. If the hospital district provides for the operation of an ambulance service, ambulance services shall be provided to all areas within the district. An existing hospital district that is located in a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand persons and that is operating at a single location may expand to a second location if the board of directors of the hospital district finds at a public hearing on the matter that an additional location is reasonably necessary for the persons served by the district.

6. Impose a secondary property tax on all taxable property within the district for the purpose of funding the operation and maintenance of a hospital, urgent care center, combined hospital and ambulance service or combined urgent care center and ambulance service that is owned or operated by the district or to pay costs of an ambulance service contract entered into pursuant to this section. The amount of the levy necessary for the operation and maintenance of the ambulance service, if any, shall be separately stated in the levy. Prior to the initial imposition of such a tax a majority of the qualified electors must approve such initial imposition. The continued imposition of such a tax must be approved by a majority of the qualified electors at least every five years from the date of the initial imposition. Elections under this paragraph must be held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November as prescribed by section 16-204, subsection B, paragraph 1, subdivision (d).

7. Contract with an existing hospital, ambulance service, city, town or fire district within the district to provide ambulance related services. If the district does contract for ambulance services, the district shall ensure that ambulance services are provided to all areas within the district. No such contract may provide for the use of aircraft.

B. The amount of a levy under subsection A, paragraph 6 shall not exceed the greater of:

1. Six hundred thousand dollars, adjusted annually from a 1989 base year according to the health services component of the metropolitan Phoenix consumer price index published by the bureau of business and economic research, college of business administration, Arizona state university, or its successor.

2. Ten per cent of the hospital's or urgent care center's total expenses for all purposes required or authorized by this chapter and incurred in the fiscal year ending immediately before the levy.

C. An existing hospital may be converted into an urgent care center by a vote of the board of directors of the district if the conversion is in the best interests of the district. An existing urgent care center shall not be converted into a hospital unless the hospital district is created pursuant to section 48-261 and this chapter.