hospital districts

Attorney General Ashley Moody wants the high court to decide whether hospital districts and school boards should be able to pursue opioid lawsuits after she reached settlements with the pharmaceutical industry.

The Lower Keys Hospital District Board will convene a special committee to set minimum care standards on the Lower Keys Medical Center’s next lease after a public push for more oversight.

The measure would create a process for public hospital districts to convert to nonprofit organizations. However, the Senate version hasn't moved through committees and the session ends Friday,

The measure was approved by the House State Affairs Committee. A Senate version, however, has yet to be heard in a committee.

Under current law, districts can sell or lease hospitals to other entities but cannot convert to nonprofit organizations. The measure would allow districts to go through a conversion process.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System and Lee Health said they are not “subordinate” to the attorney general, as they were created by the Legislature.

A House Republican filed a proposal Tuesday that would require once-a-decade votes about whether local hospital districts should be able to continue…