A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 44-7-170, RELATING TO CERTIFICATE OF NEED EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT VETERANS HOMES OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS DO NOT REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE OF NEED.

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

 

SECTION 1.  Section 44-7-170(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    (B) This article does not apply to:

       (1) construction of a new hospital with up to fifty beds in any county currently without a hospital;

       (2) hospitals owned by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and operated by the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities or hospitals owned or operated by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, except an addition of one or more beds to the total number of beds of the predecessor departments' health care facilities existing on July 1, 1988;

       (3) any federal hospital sponsored and operated by this State;

       (4) hospitals owned and operated by the federal government.

 

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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