Any transfer described in Section 101831 shall not otherwise disqualify the county, or in the case of a change in license ownership, the hospital authority, from participating in any of the following:

(a)  Other funding sources either specific to county hospitals or county ambulatory care clinics or for which there are special provisions specific to county hospitals or to county ambulatory care clinics.

(b)  Funding programs in which the county, on behalf of General Hospital, the Family Care Centers, and the San Luis Obispo County Health Agency had participated prior to the creation of the hospital authority, or would otherwise be qualified to participate in had the hospital authority not been created, and administration, management, and control not been transferred by the county to the hospital authority, pursuant to this chapter.

(c)  A hospital authority created pursuant to this chapter shall be a legal entity separate and apart from the county and shall file the statement required by § 53051 of the Government Code. The hospital authority shall be a government entity separate and apart from the county, and shall not be considered to be an agency, division, or department of the county. The hospital authority shall not be governed by, nor be subject to, the charter of the county and shall not be subject to policies or operational rules of the county, including, but not limited to, those relating to personnel and procurement.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 899, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.)