Vehicles: Washington Township Health Care District crossing guards.

The Local Health Care District Law authorizes the organization, incorporation, and management of health care districts that are permitted to exercise specified powers, including, among others, to do any and all things that an individual might do that are necessary for, and to the advantage of, a health care facility and a nurses' training school, or a child care facility for the benefit of employees of the health care facility or residents of the district. Existing law also authorizes local authorities to adopt rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution regarding specified matters, including, among other things, appointing nonstudent school crossing guards for the protection of persons who are crossing a street or highway in the vicinity of a school or while returning thereafter to a place of safety. Under existing law, a person who disregards a traffic signal or direction given by those crossing guards is guilty of an infraction, and subject to fines ranging from not less than $50 for a first conviction to not more than $500 for a 3rd or subsequent conviction within a 2-year period. In addition to those fines, a court may order the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend the driver's license of a person convicted of a 3rd or subsequent violation of those provisions within a period of 2 years for up to 30 days. This bill would, notwithstanding any other law, additionally authorize the Washington Township Health Care District to appoint a health care district crossing guard to provide for the protection of persons who are crossing a street or highway within 1,000 feet of an emergency room, emergency department, or trauma center located within that health care district or while returning thereafter to a place of safety. The bill would provide that disregarding a traffic signal or direction given by a Washington Township Health Care District crossing guard is an infraction, punishable as described above. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Washington Township Health Care District. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.