COUNTY HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES

(a) If a county elects to participate in the retirement system, the commissioners court of the county may elect to deny membership to the employees of a county hospital governed by Chapter 263, Health and Safety Code. (b) After making an election under this section, the commissioners court may at any time reverse its decision and require that county hospital employees become members on a date fixed by order of the commissioners court. (c) If the commissioners court reverses an election under this section and requires the employees of a county hospital to become members of the retirement system, for the purposes of this subtitle the employees of the county hospital comprise a separate subdivision from other county employees. (d) If on the effective date of participation in the retirement system a county is not operating a county hospital, the order or resolution of the commissioners court electing to participate in the system does not include employees of a hospital later established or operated by the county. The commissioners court may elect to have the employees of a hospital later established or operated by the county participate in the retirement system as a unit, which for purposes of this subtitle comprises a subdivision separate from other county employees. (e) The commissioners court is the governing body of a county hospital for the purposes of this subtitle.