§ 26-9-5. Rural County Health Care Special Service District Retirement Grant Program.

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Participating employer" means an employer that was required to participate in the Utah State Retirement System under Section 49-12-201, 49-12-202, 49-13-201, or 49-13-202.

(b) "Retirement liability" means an obligation in excess of $750,000 owed to the Utah State Retirement Office by a rural county health care special service district as a participating employer.

(c) "Rural county health care special service district" means a special service district formed to provide health care in a third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class county as defined in Section 17-50-501.

(2) Because there is a compelling statewide public purpose in promoting health care in Utah's rural counties, and particularly in ensuring the continued existence and financial viability of hospital services provided by rural county health care special service districts, there is created a grant program to assist rural county health care special service districts in meeting a retirement liability.

(3)

(a) Subject to legislative appropriation and this Subsection (3), the department shall make grants to rural county health care special service districts.

(b) To qualify for a grant, a rural county health care special service district shall:

(i) file a grant application with the department detailing:

(A) the name of the rural county health care special service district;

(B) the estimated total amount of the retirement liability;

(C) the grant amount that the rural county health care special service district is requesting; and

(D) the amount of matching funds to be provided by the rural county health care special service district to help fund the retirement liability as required by Subsection (3)(d); and

(ii) commit to provide matching funds as required by Subsection (3)(d).

(c) The department shall review each grant application and, subject to legislative appropriation, award grants to each rural health care special service district that qualifies for a grant under Subsection (3)(b).

(d) The department may not award a grant to a rural county health care special service district unless the rural county health care special service district commits to provide matching funds to the grant equal to at least 40% of the amount of the grant.

Enacted by Chapter 408, 2012 General Session