131E-41. Methods of creation of a hospital district.

(a) The voters of an area may petition their county board of commissioners and the North Carolina Medical Care Commission for the creation of a hospital district. All of the area proposed to be included within a hospital district must be located within one county. The petition shall be signed by at least 500 voters of the area described in the petition. However, if the area has less than 1,100 voters, then the minimum number of petitioners shall be 250 voters. The petition shall set forth:

(1) A description of the area to be included within the proposed hospital district;

(2) The names of all municipalities located in whole or in part in the proposed hospital district;

(3) The names of all publicly owned hospitals in the proposed hospital district;

(4) The purpose or purposes sought to be accomplished by the creation of the hospital district; and

(5) The proposed name of the hospital district.

(b) In the alternative, the county board of commissioners, in its discretion, may create a hospital district by resolution. This authority exists only when one hospital district already exists in the county, or when a special tax levy for hospital purposes has been authorized or is now authorized with respect to a portion of the county. This power is limited to establishing a hospital district in the area lying outside the existing hospital district or outside the portion of the county in which a hospital tax levy has been or is now authorized. When a county board of commissioners exercises its power under this subsection, all other provisions of this Part shall be applicable, except as modified by this subsection.