191—34.7 (514) Composition, nomination, and election of board of directors.
	 34.7(1) Composition of board of directors. The composition of the board of directors of each corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514 shall be as follows:
	  a.   	 On and after August 1, 1984, a majority of the members of the board of directors of each corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514 shall be subscriber directors.
	  b.   	 On and after August 1, 1985, at least two-thirds of the members of the board of directors of each corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514 shall be subscriber directors.
	 34.7(2) Nomination of subscriber directors.
	  a.   	 Until the board composition requirements of subrule 34.7(1), paragraph “b,” are met, a ballot containing nominees for subscriber director positions shall be prepared by an independent subscriber nominating committee pursuant to subrule 34.7(3). Nominations for subscriber director positions may also be made by petition signed by at least 50 subscribers. The independent subscriber nominating committee shall consider the petitions to determine which persons, if any, nominated by those petitions shall be placed on the ballot.
	  b.   	 Once the board composition requirements of subrule 34.7(1), paragraph “b,” are met, a ballot containing nominees for subscriber director position shall be prepared by the subscriber directors under procedures established by the board of directors. These procedures shall also permit nomination by a petition of at least 50 subscribers. The board shall determine which persons, if any, nominated by these petitions shall be placed on the ballot.
	 34.7(3) Independent subscriber nominating committee.
	  a.   	 Generally. An independent subscriber nominating committee shall be appointed for each corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514. Each independent subscriber nominating committee shall consist of at least five to seven members. Commonality of membership among the independent subscriber nominating committees shall be permissible. The independent subscriber nominating committee for each corporation shall, as a whole, be broadly representative of the subscribers of the corporation. The independent subscriber nominating committee for each corporation shall serve only until the composition of the board of directors for the corporation meets the requirements of subrule 34.7(1), paragraph “b.”
	  b.   	 Standards for independent subscriber nominating committee membership. Each individual appointed to the independent subscriber nominating committee shall meet the following criteria:
	 (1) 	 Each member of an independent subscriber nominating committee shall be a subscriber of a corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514. Each member of the independent subscriber nominating committee of a hospital or medical service corporation shall be a subscriber of the services of that corporation.
	 (2) 	 No member of an independent subscriber nominating committee shall be a member of the board of directors of a corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514.
	 (3) 	 No member, their spouse or an immediate family member, of an independent subscriber nominating committee shall have a material financial interest in, be a fiduciary to, or be an employee of a competitor. Proof of compliance with this requirement shall be by affidavit.
	 (4) 	 Each member of an independent subscriber nominating committee shall have reasonable knowledge of the operation of and issues facing the corporation for which the independent subscriber nominating committee has been appointed.
	  c.   	 Appointment. The commissioner shall appoint each committee from names suggested by individual subscribers, group subscribers, labor organizations, the Health Policy Corporation of Iowa, each corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514, and other interested persons. Interested persons shall submit the names of potential independent subscriber nominating committee members to the commissioner within 30 days of the effective date of these rules. The committee appointments will be within 7 days thereafter.
	  d.   	 Work of the independent subscriber nominating committee. The independent subscriber nominating committee shall develop a ballot containing nominees for subscriber director positions to be filled. At least two and not more than three individuals shall be nominated for each subscriber director position to be filled.
The independent subscriber nominating committee shall also consider each individual currently serving as a subscriber representative on the board of directors of a corporation operating pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 514, and each individual nominated by subscriber petitions, for inclusion on the ballot containing nominees for subscriber directors. The independent subscriber nominating committee shall select nominees that represent a broad spectrum of subscriber interests including an appropriate balance of demographic and geographic characteristics for the corporation’s service area.
	  e.   	 Criteria for nominees. The independent subscriber nominating committee shall utilize the following criteria in developing nominations for subscriber directors:
	 (1) 	 Each nominee shall be a subscriber of a corporation subject to Iowa Code chapter 514. Each nominee to the board of directors of a hospital or medical service corporation shall be a subscriber of the services of that corporation. The corporation shall verify a potential nominee’s subscriber status upon inquiry by an independent subscriber nominating committee.
	 (2) 	 A nominee, their spouse or an immediate family member, shall not have a material financial interest in, be a fiduciary to, or be an employee of a competitor or provider. Proof of compliance with this requirement shall be by affidavit.
	 (3) 	 Each nominee shall have reasonable knowledge of the operation of and issues facing the corporation to whose board the nominee has been nominated.
	 34.7(4) Election of subscriber directors. Each subscriber director shall be elected from the subscriber nominees placed on a ballot prepared as provided by these rules. The ballot shall alphabetically list the subscriber nominees and indicate that each member shall vote only for the same number of candidates as there are positions to be filled. Election shall be by the corporate membership. Nominees receiving the most votes shall be considered elected to the positions.
The ballot for electing subscriber directors may also contain nominees to be elected to provider director positions.
	 34.7(5) Nomination of provider directors.
	  a.   	 Until the board composition requirements of subrule 34.7(1), paragraph “b,” are met, nominations for provider director positions may be made by petition signed by at least 50 providers. The independent subscriber nominating committee shall consider the petitions to determine which persons, if any, nominated by those petitions shall be placed on the ballot.
	  b.   	 Once the board composition requirements of subrule 34.7(1), paragraph “b,” are met, the board of directors shall establish procedures to permit nomination of provider directors by petition of at least 50 participating providers. The board of directors shall consider the petitions to determine which persons, if any, nominated by those petitions shall be placed on the ballot.
	  c.   	 This subrule shall not be construed to preclude nominations for provider director positions by any alternate means provided by the corporation’s articles or bylaws.
	 34.7(6) Construction. The articles or bylaws of a corporation operating pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 514 shall continue in existence to the extent that they do not conflict with this rule.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 514.4.