HB0304enr 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0304 Enrolled LRB095 03559 BDD 25927 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act is amended by changing Section 6 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3960/6) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1156)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on April 1, 2007)

Sec. 6. Application for permit or exemption; exemption regulations.

(a) An application for a permit or exemption shall be made to the State Board upon forms provided by the State Board. This application shall contain such information as the State Board deems necessary. Such application shall include affirmative evidence on which the Director may make the findings required under this Section and upon which the State Board may make its decision on the approval or denial of the permit or exemption.

(b) The State Board shall establish by regulation the procedures and requirements regarding issuance of exemptions. An exemption shall be approved when information required by the Board by rule is submitted. Projects eligible for an exemption, rather than a permit, include, but are not limited to, change of ownership of a health care facility. For a change of ownership of a health care facility between related persons, the State Board shall provide by rule for an expedited process for obtaining an exemption.

(c) All applications shall be signed by the applicant and shall be verified by any 2 officers thereof.

(c-5) Any written review or findings of the Agency or any other reviewing organization under Section 8 concerning an application for a permit must be made available to the public at least 14 calendar days before the meeting of the State Board at which the review or findings are considered. The applicant and members of the public may submit, to the State Board, written responses in support of or in opposition to the review or findings of the Agency or reviewing organization. A written response must be submitted at least 2 business days before the meeting of the State Board. At the meeting, the State Board may, in its discretion, permit the submission of additional written materials.

(d) Upon receipt of an application for a permit, the State Board shall approve and authorize the issuance of a permit if it finds (1) that the applicant is fit, willing, and able to provide a proper standard of health care service for the community with particular regard to the qualification, background and character of the applicant, (2) that economic feasibility is demonstrated in terms of effect on the existing and projected operating budget of the applicant and of the health care facility; in terms of the applicant's ability to establish and operate such facility in accordance with licensure regulations promulgated under pertinent state laws; and in terms of the projected impact on the total health care expenditures in the facility and community, (3) that safeguards are provided which assure that the establishment, construction or modification of the health care facility or acquisition of major medical equipment is consistent with the public interest, and (4) that the proposed project is consistent with the orderly and economic development of such facilities and equipment and is in accord with standards, criteria, or plans of need adopted and approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-41, eff. 6-27-03.)