A state lawmaker has proposed legislation that would allow Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Halifax Health to establish, construct, operate and maintain hospitals beyond its taxing district, including a hospital under construction in Deltona, Fla., according to a News-Journal report.
The bill, filed by Florida Rep. David Santiago, comes as Halifax Health is building a 96-bed hospital in Deltona.
The project has been challenged legally, with a judge ruling last April that Halifax Health could not issue bonds to finance the hospital project because it is outside the geographical boundaries of the Halifax public health district.
At the time, the judge said a "plain reading" of Florida's land development regulations "shows that the medical facilities that Halifax is authorized to establish are to be located 'in the district,' 'for the use of the public of the district' and in furtherance of 'the general welfare of the residents of the district.'"
Halifax Health has appealed the April ruling, as well as another judge's ruling from last year, and the Florida Supreme Court is expected to hear the case this month, according to the report.
Meanwhile, Mr. Santiago's amending bill seeks to establish that Halifax Health may operate hospitals and other facilities outside its taxing district between Ormond Beach and Port Orange, according to the News-Journal. It also reportedly notes that the system's projects beyond the taxing district would not use ad valorem tax revenue collected within that district.
The amending bill has been referred to numerous state House committees.
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