§1064. Districts as political subdivisions; acquisition of land and physical facilities; special maintenance taxes; incurring debt; bonds; audits

A. The hospital service districts as defined in R.S. 46:1072 are hereby declared to be political subdivisions of the state, and for the purpose of purchasing and acquiring lands and purchasing, acquiring, constructing and maintaining hospitals, nursing homes, physicians and dentists offices, laboratories, and other physical facilities necessary to carry out the purposes of this Chapter. Title to such land and physical facilities shall be in the public. Such districts shall be subdivisions of the state of Louisiana within the meaning of the laws of Louisiana relating to the voting and levy of special maintenance taxes incurring debt and issuing bonds therefor, including particularly but without limitation R.S. 39:504.1, 515-518, 551-571, 575-577, 611-617, 701-706, and 911, and shall be authorized to issue hospital revenue bonds pursuant to R.S. 39:559.1 and 1011-1024, and as otherwise permitted by law. Hospital service districts are hereby further authorized to issue bonds pursuant to the foregoing to refund outstanding bonded indebtedness whether issued by such hospital service district or by another political subdivision of the state on behalf of such hospital service district or in respect of any hospital facilities owned or operated by any such hospital service district.

B. Each district shall cause to be conducted annually, by a duly qualified certified public accountant, an audit and examination of its books and accounts, said audit to be filed with the legislative auditor within six months after the close of the period audited. The legislative auditor shall have the authority to prescribe the terms and conditions of any such audit conducted by a certified public accountant and to require the district to present said terms and conditions to him for approval prior to the commencement of said audit. The legislative auditor shall have access to the working papers of the accountant during the examination and subsequent to its termination. The legislative auditor is authorized to conduct an independent audit and examination of the books and accounts of any hospital service district pursuant to R.S. 24:513.

Acts 1950, No. 420, §14. Acts 1983, No. 93, §1; Acts 1987, No. 481, §1.