(a) (1) The department shall adopt, amend, or repeal, in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 of Division 13, any reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary or proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this chapter and to enable the state department to exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred upon it by this chapter, not inconsistent with any other law including, but not limited to, the California Building Standards Law, Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Division 13.

(2) All regulations in effect on December 31, 1973, which were adopted by the State Board of Public Health, the State Department of Public Health, the State Department of Mental Hygiene, or the State Department of Health relating to licensed health facilities shall remain in full force and effect until altered, amended, or repealed by the director or pursuant to Section 25 or other provisions of law.

(b) Notwithstanding this section or any other law, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development shall adopt and enforce regulations prescribing building standards for the adequacy and safety of health facility physical plants.

(c) The building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development pursuant to subdivision (b), for the adequacy and safety of freestanding physical plants housing outpatient services of a health facility licensed under subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 1250 shall not be more restrictive or comprehensive than the comparable building standards established, or otherwise made applicable, by the State Fire Marshal and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to clinics and other facilities licensed pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200).

(d) Except as provided in subdivision (f), the licensing standards adopted by the department under subdivision (a) for outpatient services located in a freestanding physical plant of a health facility licensed under subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 1250 shall not be more restrictive or comprehensive than the comparable licensing standards applied by the department to clinics and other facilities licensed under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200).

(e) Except as provided in subdivision (f), the state agencies specified in subdivisions (c) and (d) shall not enforce any standard applicable to outpatient services located in a freestanding physical plant of a health facility licensed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 1250, to the extent that the standard is more restrictive or comprehensive than the comparable licensing standards applied to clinics and other facilities licensed under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200).

(f) All health care professionals providing services in settings authorized by this section shall be members of the organized medical staff of the health facility to the extent medical staff membership would be required for the provision of the services within the health facility. All services shall be provided under the respective responsibilities of the governing body and medical staff of the health facility.

(g) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may, without taking regulatory action pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, update references in the California Code of Regulations to health care standards of practice adopted by a recognized state or national association when the state or national association and its outdated standards are already named in the California Code of Regulations. When updating these references, the department shall:

(A) Post notice of the department’s proposed adoption of the state or national association’s health care standards of practice on its Internet Web site for at least 45 days. The notice shall include the name of the state or national association, the title of the health care standards of practice, and the version of the updated health care standards of practice to be adopted.

(B) Notify stakeholders that the proposed standards have been posted on the department’s Internet Web site by issuing a mailing to the most recent stakeholder list on file with the department’s Office of Regulations.

(C) Submit to the Office of Administrative Law the notice required pursuant to this paragraph. The office shall publish in the California Regulatory Notice Register any notice received pursuant to this subparagraph.

(D) Accept public comment for at least 30 days after the conclusion of the 45-day posting period specified in subparagraph (A).

(2) If a member of the public requests a public hearing during the public comment period, a hearing shall be held and comments shall be considered prior to the adoption of the state or national association’s health care standards of practice.

(3) If no member of the public requests a public hearing, the department shall consider any comments received during the public comment period prior to the adoption of the health care standards.

(4) Written responses to public comments shall not be required. If public comments are submitted in opposition to the adoption of the proposed standards, or the state or national association named in the California Code of Regulations no longer exists, the department shall seek adoption of the standards using the regulatory process specified in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. A state or national association named in the California Code of Regulations that has changed its name does not constitute an association that no longer exists.

(5) If no opposition is received by the department, the department shall update its Internet Web site to notify the public that the standard has been adopted and the effective date of that standard.

(h) For purposes of this section, “freestanding physical plant” means any building which is not physically attached to a building in which inpatient services are provided.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 435, Sec. 2. (AB 614) Effective January 1, 2016.)