39-401. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. The various health districts, as provided for in this chapter, are not a single department of state government unto themselves, nor are they a part of any of the twenty (20) departments of state government authorized by section 20, article IV, Idaho constitution, or of the departments prescribed in section 67-2402, Idaho Code.

It is legislative intent that health districts operate and be recognized not as state agencies or departments, but as governmental entities whose creation has been authorized by the state, much in the manner as other single purpose districts. Pursuant to this intent, and because health districts are not state departments or agencies, health districts are exempt from the required participation in the services of the purchasing agent or employee liability coverage, as rendered by the department of administration. However, nothing shall prohibit the health districts from entering into contractural [contractual] arrangements with the department of administration, or any other department of state government or an elected constitutional officer, for these or any other services.

It is legislative intent to affirm the provisions of section 39-413, Idaho Code, requiring compliance with the state merit system, and to affirm the participation of the health districts in the public employee retirement system, pursuant to section 39-426, Idaho Code, chapter 13, title 59, Idaho Code, and chapter 53, title 67, Idaho Code.

It is also legislative intent that the matters of location of deposit of health district funds, or the instruments or documents of payment from those funds shall be construed as no more than items of convenience for the conduct of business, and in no way reflect upon the nature or status of the health districts as entities of government.

This section merely affirms that health districts created under this chapter are not state agencies, and in no way changes the character of those agencies as they existed prior to this act.

History:

[39-401, added 1976, ch. 179, sec. 1, p. 645; am. 1986, ch. 63, sec. 1, p. 180.]