§ 23-17-14.4. Procedures for review. (a) Within ten (10) working days of receipt, in acceptable form, of an application for an initial license or a license in connection with a change in the owner, operator, or lessee of any existing health care facility, the licensing agency will notify and afford the public an opportunity to comment on the application.

(b) The recommendations of the health services council and the decision of the licensing agency will be rendered within ninety (90) days of acceptance of the application for license.

(c) The licensing agency shall promulgate in rules and regulations procedures and criteria for expedited review of licensure applications. The criteria for expedited review consideration shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (1) that the licensure application is solely for initial licensure; (2) that the legal entity seeking a license currently is the licensee for one or more Rhode Island licensed health care facilities whose records of compliance are deemed by the licensing agency to demonstrate the legal entity's ability and commitment to provide quality health care services; and (3) that the licensure application demonstrates complete and satisfactory compliance with review criteria in § 23-17-14.3. The licensing agency shall exercise its discretion in granting expedited review of license applications and a decision by the licensing agency not to process an application on an expedited review basis shall be final and shall not be subject to appeal.

(d) The decision of the licensing agency shall be based upon the findings and recommendations of the health services council unless the licensing agency shall afford written justification for variance from these findings and recommendations.

(e) All applications reviewed by the licensing agency and all written materials pertinent to licensing agency review, including minutes of all health services council meetings, shall be accessible to the public upon request.

(f) Any person holding a valid certificate of need issued pursuant to chapter 15 of this title, shall be exempt from the requirements of § 23-17-14.3 or 23-17-14.4 of this chapter for initial facility licensure.

(g) Any person holding a valid license for an outpatient rehabilitation center intended to be operational for less than twelve (12) months and so indicated upon its application shall surrender its license upon cessation of patient care operations for that operational season. Within a period not to exceed twelve (12) months from the surrender, the person may apply for a new license for the identical activities and premises authorized by the previous but surrendered license, and shall be exempt from the requirements of § 23-17-14.3 or 23-17-14.4 for initial facility licensure.

History of Section. (P.L. 1984, ch. 134, § 2; P.L. 1996, ch. 433, § 3; P.L. 1999, ch. 336, § 1.)