What's happening
This bill streamlines hospital construction application processes, sets review timelines, and allows self-certification by licensed professionals for regulatory compliance.
Why it matters
Faster project approvals can help hospitals respond more quickly to community needs for new or improved facilities, potentially reducing wait times for critical care or enabling faster adoption of new medical technologies.
By allowing licensed architects or engineers to self-certify compliance with regulations, the bill may reduce bureaucratic delays but also shifts more responsibility and liability to professionals, possibly impacting project oversight and risk management.
Mandating strict review and response timelines for the Department of Health increases accountability and predictability for hospitals, which can help them plan construction projects and financial investments with greater confidence.
While the bill expedites the process, it preserves the Department’s authority to require corrections after construction, balancing efficiency with maintenance of health and safety standards.
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History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Speed Up Hospital Approvals
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor Kemp Hannon
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1202
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. JENNE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to applications for construction of hospitals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1-a of section 2802 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 174 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
The following types of construction projects by a hospital possessing a valid operating certificate shall not require prior approval pursuant to this section, provided that a written notice has been submitted to the department [together with, where appropriate], the hospital obtains, where appropriate, and makes available to the department by request upon survey, a written architect and/or engineering certification that the project meets the applicable statutes, codes and regulations specified in the certification statement and, where required by the department, the hospital shall implement a plan to protect patient safety during construction:
§ 2. Section 2802 of the public health law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 8 and 9 to read as follows:
8. (a) Where the commissioner or department requires the applicant to submit information to satisfy a contingency for a construction project, the commissioner or department shall have thirty calendar days to review and approve or disapprove the submitted information. If the commissioner or department determines that the submitted information is incomplete, it shall so notify the applicant in writing and provide the applicant with the opportunity to correct the deficiency or provide additional information. If the commissioner or department determines that the submitted information does not satisfy the contingency, the basis for such disapproval shall be provided in writing; however, disapproval
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02444-01-7
A. 1202 2
shall not be based on the incompleteness of the application. Within fifteen calendar days of complete satisfaction of a contingency, the commissioner or department shall transmit the final approval letter to the applicant.
(b) The department shall develop expedited pre-opening survey processes for applications approved under this section, but under no circumstances shall pre-opening survey reviews be conducted later than thirty calendar days after final approval, construction completion and notification of such completion of the department.
9. With regard to any construction project requiring submission of an application pursuant to this section where the commissioner has determined that a written certification by an architect or engineer licensed pursuant to article one hundred forty-five or one hundred forty-seven of the education law that the project meets applicable regulations of the department can be accepted, the submission by the applicant of such complete and fully executed self-certification by certified or registered mail with a return receipt signed by the department shall constitute a fulfillment of the architectural and/or engineering review and certification requirement and the department shall proceed with the processing of such application. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the department upon survey from requiring subsequent corrections to the project to meet the applicable regulations.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.