(a) The authority shall develop a written application for the awarding of grants under this part within 90 days of the adoption of this act. The authority shall award grants to eligible children’s hospitals, subject to the limitations of this part and to further the purposes of this part based on the following factors:
(1) The grant will contribute toward expansion or improvement of health care access by children eligible for governmental health insurance programs and indigent, underserved, and uninsured children.
(2) The grant will contribute toward the improvement of child health care or pediatric patient outcomes.
(3) The children’s hospital provides uncompensated or undercompensated care to indigent or public pediatric patients.
(4) The children’s hospital provides services to vulnerable pediatric populations.
(5) The children’s hospital promotes pediatric teaching or research programs.
(6) Demonstration of project readiness and project feasibility.
(b) An application for funds shall be submitted to the authority for approval as to its conformity with the requirements of this part. The authority shall process and award grants in a timely manner, not to exceed 60 days.
(c) A children’s hospital identified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1179.11 shall not apply for, and the authority shall not award to that children’s hospital, a grant that would cause the total amount of grants awarded to that children’s hospital to exceed one-fifth of the total funds available for grants to all children’s hospitals pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1179.23. Notwithstanding this grant limitation, any funds available under subdivision (a) of Section 1179.23 that have not been exhausted by June 30, 2014, shall become available for an application from any children’s hospital identified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 1179.11.
(d) A children’s hospital identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 1179.11 shall not apply for, and the authority shall not award to that children’s hospital, a grant that would cause the total amount of grants awarded to that children’s hospital to exceed seventy-four million dollars ($74,000,000) from funds available for grants to all children’s hospitals pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1179.23. Notwithstanding this grant limitation, any funds available under subdivision (b) of Section 1179.23 that have not been exhausted by June 30, 2014, shall become available for an application from any children’s hospital defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 1179.11.
(e) In no event shall a grant to finance a project exceed the total cost of the project, as determined by the children’s hospital and approved by the authority.
(f) All projects that are awarded grants shall be completed within a reasonable period of time. If the authority determines that the children’s hospital has failed to complete the project under the terms specified in awarding the grant, the authority may require remedies, including the return of all or a portion of the grant. A children’s hospital receiving a grant under this part shall submit certification of project completion to the authority.
(g) Grants shall only be available pursuant to this section if the authority determines that it has sufficient money available in the fund. Nothing in this section shall require the authority to award grants if the authority determines that it has insufficient moneys available in the fund to do so.
(h) The authority may annually determine the amount available for purposes of this part. Administrative costs for this program shall not exceed the actual costs or one percent, whichever is less.
(Added November 2, 2004, by initiative Proposition 61.)