(b) The purpose of the authority shall be to do all of the following:

1. (1) Provide management, administration, and other controls consistent with this chapter as needed to operate the medical center and maintain its status as a designated public hospital, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 14166.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and for the operation of additional programs, clinics and other facilities, care organizations, health care service and physician practice plans, and delivery systems that may be affiliated or consolidated with the medical center, to ensure the viability of the health care safety net in the county in a manner consistent with the county’s requirements under Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
2. (2) Provide management, administration, and other controls consistent with this chapter to negotiate and enter into contracts to provide or arrange, or provide directly, on a fee-for-service, capitated, or other basis, health care services to individuals including, but not limited to, those covered under Subchapters XVIII (commencing with Section 1395), XIX (commencing with Section 1396), and XXI (commencing with Section 1397aa) of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code, those entitled to coverage under private group coverage, private individual coverage, including without limitation, coverage through Covered California, other publicly supported programs, those employed by public agencies or private businesses, and uninsured or indigent individuals.

(c) Subject to the requirements of this chapter, the authority shall have, and be charged with, authority for the maintenance, operation, management, control, ownership, or lease of the medical center and other health-related resources, as provided by the enabling ordinance. The State Department of Health Care Services shall take all necessary steps to ensure all of the following:

1. (1) The authority has all of the licenses, permits, and approvals needed to operate the medical center.
2. (2) The medical center continues its status as a designated public hospital to at least the same extent as it would be designated in the absence of its transfer to the authority pursuant to this chapter.
3. (3) The authority may participate as a contributing public agency for all of the purposes specified in Section 433.51 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, to the extent permitted by federal law.

(d) The board of supervisors, in the enabling ordinance, shall establish the terms and conditions of the transfer to the authority from the county, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

1. (1) Any transfer of real and personal property, assets, and liabilities, including, but not limited to, liabilities of the medical center determined and assigned by the county for county funds previously advanced, but not repaid or otherwise recovered, to fund the operations of the medical center.
2. (2) Transfer of employees, including any necessary personnel transition plan, as specified in Section 101853.1, allocation of credit for funded pension assets and responsibility for any unfunded pension liabilities under the Kern County Employees’ Retirement Association, as specified in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 101853.1, or other retirement plans, and funding of the accrued benefits of employees of the authority in the event of withdrawal from the plan or dissolution of the authority. Any allocation of credit for funded pension assets and responsibility for any unfunded pension liabilities with respect to the Kern County Employees’ Retirement Association must be approved by its governing board of retirement after consideration of legal and actuarial analysis, and no such allocation may be made that would jeopardize the qualified status of the Kern County Employees’ Retirement Association under the federal Internal Revenue Code.
3. (3) Maintenance, operation, management, control, ownership, or lease of the medical center.
4. (4) Transfer of licenses.
5. (5) Whether funds of the authority shall be deposited in the custody of, and paid out solely through, the county treasurer’s office.
6. (6) Any other matters as the board of supervisors deems necessary, appropriate, or convenient for the conduct of the authority’s activities.

(e)

1. (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a transfer of control of the medical center to the authority may be made, with or without the payment of a purchase price by the authority, and otherwise upon the terms and conditions as found necessary by the board of supervisors and specified in the enabling ordinance to ensure that the transfer will constitute an ongoing material benefit to the county and its residents.
2. (2) A transfer of control of the medical center to the authority shall not be construed as empowering the authority to transfer any ownership interest of the county in any portion of the medical center except as otherwise approved by the board of supervisors.
3. (3) The authority shall not transfer the maintenance, operation, management, control, ownership, or lease of the medical center to any other person or entity without the prior written approval of the board of supervisors. This paragraph shall not prevent the county, by ordinance, from allowing the disposal of obsolete or surplus equipment, supplies, or furnishings of the medical center by the authority.

4. (4) With respect to its maintenance, operation, management, control, ownership, or lease of the medical center, the authority shall conform to both of the following requirements:

   1. (A) Comply with any applicable requirements of Section 14000.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
   2. (B) Comply with any applicable requirements of Section 1442.5.
5. (5) The board of supervisors may retain control of the medical center physical plant and facilities, as specifically provided for in the enabling ordinance or other lawful agreements entered into by the board of supervisors. Any lease agreement between the county and the authority shall provide that county premises shall not be sublet without the approval of the board of supervisors.
6. (6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and whether or not accompanied by a change in licensing, the authority’s responsibility for the maintenance, operation, management, or control of the medical center, or any ownership or leasehold interest of the authority in the medical center, does not relieve the county of the ultimate responsibility for indigent care pursuant to Section 17000 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
7. (7) For purposes of Article 12 (commencing with Section 17612.1) of Chapter 6 of Part 5 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and the definition set forth in subdivision (f) of Section 17612.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the medical center, excluding components that provide predominately public health services, and the county are affiliated governmental entities.