O.C.G.A. § 31-7-73 (2019)

(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