(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, neither a member of the governing body of the commission nor a member of any advisory panel to the governing body shall be deemed to be interested in a contract entered into by the commission within the meaning of Article 4 (commencing with Section 1090) of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code if all of the following apply:
(1) The board of supervisors or the governing body appointed the individual to represent the interests of physicians, health care practitioners, hospitals, pharmacies, or other health care organizations.
(2) The contract authorizes the individual or the organization the individual represents to provide services under the local initiative.
(3) The contract contains substantially the same terms and conditions as contracts entered into with other individuals or organizations that the individual was appointed to represent.
(4) The individual does not influence or attempt to influence any advisory panel, the governing body, or any member of the governing body to enter into the contract.
(5) The individual discloses the interest to the governing body and the advisory panel, if applicable, and abstains from voting on the contract.
(6) The governing body and the advisory panel, if applicable, notes the disclosure and abstention in its official records and authorizes the contract in good faith by a vote of its membership sufficient for that purpose without counting the vote of the individual.
(b) (1) For purposes of this section, “commission” means a nonprofit corporation established in Kern County to operate the local health plan and other health care programs owned by, or operated in, Kern County.
(2) The commission shall be considered a public entity for purposes of Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1 of the Government Code.
(c) For purposes of this section, “governing body” means the board of directors of the nonprofit corporation established in Kern County, and “board of supervisors” means the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
(d) The commission may enter into agreements under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 228, Sec. 10.3. Effective August 16, 2004.)