Indiana § 16-22-2-7 - Governing board; membership; increase or decrease in number; qualifications; terms

§ 16-22-2-7. Governing board; membership; increase or decrease in number; qualifications; terms

Sec. 7. (a) Except as provided in subsection (d), a governing board of four (4) members in existence on September 2, 1971, may petition the county executive to increase the size of the board to five (5), six (6), seven (7), eight (8), or nine (9) members. If the county executive approves the petition, the county executive shall appoint new members to increase the number of board members to the chosen size in the following manner:

(1) All members must be residents of the county in which the hospital is located except in the following circumstances:

(A) If a determination is made to increase a board size to five (5) or six (6) members, one (1) member may be a resident of an Indiana county other than the county in which the hospital is located if the member to be appointed was recommended by the governing board as set forth in section 11 of this chapter to fill the vacancy.

(B) If a determination is made to increase a board size to at least seven (7) members, not more than two (2) members may be residents of an Indiana county other than the county in which the hospital is located if the member to be appointed was recommended by the governing board as set forth in section 11 of this chapter to fill the vacancy.

(2) If a board size of five (5) members is chosen, a new member shall be appointed for an initial term of one (1) year.

(3) If a board size of six (6) members is chosen, the new members shall be appointed in the following order as necessary:

(A) One (1) new member for an initial term of one (1) year.

(B) One (1) new member for an initial term of two (2) years.

(4) If a board size of seven (7) members is chosen, the new members shall be appointed in the following order as necessary:

(A) One (1) new member for an initial term of one (1) year.

(B) One (1) new member for an initial term of two (2) years.

(C) One (1) new member for an initial term of three (3) years.

(5) If a board size of eight (8) members is chosen, the new members shall be appointed in the following order as necessary:

(A) One (1) new member for an initial term of one (1) year.

(B) One (1) new member for an initial term of two (2) years.

(C) One (1) new member for an initial term of three (3) years.

(D) One (1) new member for an initial term of four (4) years.

(6) If a board size of nine (9) members is chosen, the new members shall be appointed in the following order as necessary:

(A) Two (2) new members for an initial term of one (1) year.

(B) One (1) new member for an initial term of two (2) years.

(C) One (1) new member for an initial term of three (3) years.

(D) One (1) new member for an initial term of four (4) years.

(7) If a board size of seven (7), eight (8), or nine (9) members is chosen, two (2) members may be licensed physicians.

(b) A governing board that has increased its size may petition the county executive to decrease the size of the board. However, a decrease under this subsection may only be accomplished through:

(1) the vacancy of a member's position, either through expiration of the member's term or any other cause; or

(2) removal of a member as provided under applicable law.

(c) There is no limit to the number of times a governing board may seek to increase or decrease its size under this section.

(d) For a governing board of four (4) members located in a county having a population of:

(1) more than thirteen thousand (13,000) and less than fifteen thousand (15,000);

(2) more than twenty-four thousand six hundred (24,600) and less than twenty-five thousand (25,000); or

(3) more than thirty-three thousand one hundred fifty (33,150) and less than thirty-three thousand three hundred (33,300);

the county executive may increase the number of board members to five (5), six (6), or seven (7), subject to the limitations of this section. After the initial appointments, each board member shall be appointed to serve for a term of four (4) years.

[Pre-1993 Recodification Citation: 16-12.1-2-2(b).]

As added by P.L.2-1993, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.35-1997, SEC.4; P.L.91-2002, SEC.5 and P.L.100-2002, SEC.5; P.L.80-2011, SEC.5; P.L.119-2012, SEC.134; P.L.104-2022, SEC.109.