LOS ANGELES --

Hospitals that leave homeless patients on the streets of Los Angeles without their consent would be fined $25,000 under an ordinance to be considered Wednesday by the Los Angeles City Council.

The measure would make it a misdemeanor offense in Los Angeles for hospitals to transport a patient to a location other than his or her home without written consent. Hospitals found to be in violation could face a $25,000 fine and three years' probation.

The ordinance is intended to end the practice of leaving vulnerable patients on Skid Row, but is opposed by the Hospital Association of Southern California, which says the proposed law would place undue burden on hospitals.

"HASC does not support legislation that creates harsh penalties for hospitals but ignores all other agencies that must be held accountable under this type of legislation. Nor can HASC support legislation that fails to address the issue of where homeless patients should be discharged after they no longer need acute hospital care," HASC public affairs director Jennifer Bayer wrote in a letter to the council.

Hospitals in the Los Angeles area care for more than 18,000 homeless patients a year. On average, those patients remain in the hospital nine days longer than is necessary because there is nowhere else for them to go, Bayer said.

Two high-profile cases of patient dumping prompted City Councilwoman Jan Perry and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to draft the ordinance.

In 2006, Carol Ann Reyes, wearing a hospital gown and slippers, was left on San Pedro Street. Last year, Gabino Olvera, a homeless paraplegic, was left on Skid Row in a soiled medical gown -- his possessions in a bag clenched between his teeth.

A state bill addressing the same issue was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger two years ago. SB 275 would have barred hospitals and their staff from transporting a patient to a location other than that person's residence.

Copyright 2008 by KNBC.com and KNBC (NBC4 Los Angeles). All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.