An Act concerning district hospitals; selection of board members; amending K.S.A. 1995 Supp. 80-2508 and repealing the existing section.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

Section 1. K.S.A. 1995 Supp. 80-2508 is hereby amended to read as follows: 80-2508. (a) Subject to the limitations provided in this act, any of the four methods described in this section may be used in the selection of members of boards. The four methods are:

(1) Elections of board members shall be held at the annual meeting of the qualified electors of the hospital district for the positions on the board which are to expire in such year.

(2) Board members shall be appointed by the governing bodies of the political subdivisions joining in the operation and maintenance of the hospital.

(3) (A) Elections of board members for three-year terms shall be held on the first Tuesday in April of each year for the positions on the board which are to expire in such year. All positions shall be at-large. Each board member shall take office on the May 1 following the date of election.

(B) Any person desiring to become a candidate for board member shall file with the county election officer of the county in which the po- litical subdivisions joining in the operation and maintenance of the hos- pital, or the greater portion of the area thereof, are located, before the filing deadline specified in K.S.A. 25-2109, and amendments thereto, ei- ther a petition signed by not less than 50 electors eligible to vote for a candidate or a declaration of intent to become a candidate together with a filing fee in the amount of $10.

(C) The county election officer of the county specified in paragraph (B) shall prepare the ballots for such election including ballots for that portion of the district located in any other county. The county election officers of each county shall conduct the election in their respective coun- ties, and the board of county canvassers of each such county shall certify the results of the votes cast in its county to the board of county canvassers in the county in which the ballots for the election were prepared.

(D) Ballots shall be prepared in such manner that each voter is in- structed to vote for the same number of candidates as the number of positions to be filled. Such instruction shall specify that the voter may vote for fewer than the total number of candidates for which the voter is qualified to vote.

(E) Where not in conflict with this provision of this subsection, the laws applicable to the election of city officers shall apply to the election of members of the board.

(4) (A) Elections of board members for four-year terms shall be held on the first Tuesday in April of each year for the positions on the board which are to expire in such year. All positions shall be at-large. Each board member shall take office on the May 1 following the date of election.

(B) Any person desiring to become a candidate for board member shall file with the county election officer of the county in which the po- litical subdivisions joining in the operation and maintenance of the hos- pital, or the greater portion of the area thereof, are located, before the filing deadline specified in K.S.A. 25-2109, and amendments thereto, ei- ther a petition signed by not less than 50 electors eligible to vote for a candidate or a declaration of intent to become a candidate together with a filing fee in the amount of $10.

(C) The county election officer of the county specified in paragraph (B) shall prepare the ballots for such election including ballots for that portion of the district located in any other county. The county election officers of each county shall conduct the election in their respective coun- ties, and the board of county canvassers of each such county shall certify the results of the votes cast in its county to the board of county canvassers in the county in which the ballots for the election were prepared.

(D) Ballots shall be prepared in such manner that each voter is in- structed to vote for the same number of candidates as the number of positions to be filled. Such instruction shall specify that the voter may vote for fewer than the total number of candidates for which the voter is qualified to vote.

(E) Where not in conflict with this provision of this subsection, the laws applicable to the election of city officers shall apply to the election of members of the board.

(b) If the method of selection of members of the board of any hospital is the method provided for in provision (1) or provision (2) of subsection (a), such method of selection may be changed to the method provided for in provision (3) or provision (4) of subsection (a) by majority vote of the qualified electors voting at an annual meeting thereof. Whenever the method of selection of members of a board is changed to the method provided for in provision (3) or provision (4) of subsection (a), the term of each member serving on the board at the time of the change of method of selection shall expire on May 1 of the year in which the term of such member is to expire, except that for the purpose of electing members to the board at a time to coincide with elections for other purposes, the board may extend the term of any member for not to exceed one year from the date such member's term would otherwise expire and the board of Sublette hospital district may change prior to the election the length of term for one member to be elected at the 1997 election from four years to two years. If the members of the board are currently selected pursuant to provision (3) of subsection (a), the method of selection may be changed to the method provided for in provision (4) of subsection (a) by a majority vote of the board members.

Sec. 2. K.S.A. 1995 Supp. 80-2508 is hereby repealed.

Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book.

Approved April 20, 1996.