Section 31-7-73. Creation of additional hospital authority in counties with large populations

   (a) Any other provision of this article to the contrary notwithstanding, there is created in and for each county of this state having a population of 100,000 or more according to the United States decennial census of 1970 or any future such census a public body corporate and politic to be known as the "      Hospital Authority." Each such hospital authority shall be a separate entity and in addition to the hospital authority of each county of this state created pursuant to Code Section 31-7-72.

(b) Each such additional hospital authority shall consist of a board of not less than five nor more than nine members to be appointed by the governing body of each such county for staggered terms, as specified by resolution of the governing body. No hospital authority created under this Code section shall transact any business or exercise any powers under this Code section until the governing body of each such county declares by proper resolution that there is a need for an additional hospital authority to function within such county, which resolution shall also determine and declare that such hospital authority is being created pursuant to this Code section and shall adopt a designation for the hospital authority so as to reflect that it is a separate and distinct entity from the hospital authority created pursuant to Code Section 31-7-72. A copy of such resolution shall be filed with the department. Copies of any resolutions adopted by the governing body of the county for the purpose of filling vacancies in the membership of the hospital authority or for making any changes in membership shall also be filed with the department.

(c) Appointments to fill vacancies on the board of any such hospital authority shall be made as provided in Code Section 31-7-72.

(d) All provisions of this article, including, but not limited to, the rights, powers, duties, obligations, and exemptions from taxation provided thereby for hospital authorities shall apply to the additional hospital authorities created pursuant to this Code section and the hospital authorities so created shall, in all respects, to the extent applicable for the purposes of this chapter, be treated as though they had been created pursuant to Code Section 31-7-72.

(e) It is declared that this Code section shall be cumulative of and supplemental to Code Section 31-7-72 and not in lieu thereof. It is expressly provided that nothing contained in this Code section shall invalidate or abrogate any of the actions or obligations of existing hospital authorities created pursuant to Code Section 31-7-72 and further that nothing contained in this Code section shall be construed as adversely affecting the rights and interests of the holders or owners of any bonds, certificates, or obligations now or hereafter issued by such existing hospital authorities.

Code 1933, § 88-1803.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1972, p. 683, § 2.