King County - File #: 2024-0321

• File #: 2024-0321
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: In Committee
• File created: 10/8/2024
• In control: Budget and Fiscal Management Committee
• Title: AN ORDINANCE establishing an office of the county hospital; and amending Ordinance 12075, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.025, Ordinance 6818, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.010, Ordinance 6818, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.020, Ordinance 6818, Section 4, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.030, Ordinance 6818, Section 5, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.040, Ordinance 6818, Section 6, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.050, Ordinance 6818, Section 7, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.060, and Ordinance 6818, Section 10, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.090.
• Sponsors: Girmay Zahilay, Teresa Mosqueda
• Indexes: Hospitals
• Staff: Porter, Samantha

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/8/2024	1	Metropolitan King County Council	Introduced and Referred

Drafter
Clerk 09/24/2024
Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing an office of the county hospital; and amending Ordinance 12075, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.025, Ordinance 6818, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.010, Ordinance 6818, Section 3, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.020, Ordinance 6818, Section 4, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.030, Ordinance 6818, Section 5, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.040, Ordinance 6818, Section 6, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.050, Ordinance 6818, Section 7, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.060, and Ordinance 6818, Section 10, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.42.090.
Title
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. Since 1877, King County has operated a county hospital, often comprised of separate hospitals and outpatient clinics, for the care and treatment of the indigent, sick, injured, or infirm. A 1925 statute, Chapter 174, Laws of Washington 1225 Ex. Sess., codified the authority of counties to establish a county hospital. King County is the only county in Washington state currently operating a public hospital under the county hospital statutes, codified in chapter 36.62 RCW.
2. Since 1931, a county hospital board of trustees has been established to provide general supervision of the county hospital, as provided under Chapter 139, Laws of Washington 1931. The county hospital board serves its fiduciary role on behalf of the county.
3. Since 1931, King County has established, provided, maintained, and ensured operation of the county hospital under the name of Harborview Medical Center and colloquially referred to as "Harborview." Over the past century, through the generosity of local tax payers, King County has invested substantial local monies in building and maintaining the Harborview facilities, which remain under county ownership.
4. Since 1967, King County and the University of Washington have maintained a successful partnership where UW Medicine operates Harborview Medical Center on behalf of the county under a hospital services agreement. Under R...