(a) Upon the filing of the application for licensure or for a special permit for special services and full compliance with this chapter and the rules and regulations of the state department, the state department shall issue to the applicant the license or special permit applied for. A license shall not be issued or renewed for beds permanently converted to other than patient use and that do not meet construction and operational requirements. However, if the director finds that the applicant is not in compliance with the laws or regulations of this part, the director shall deny the applicant a license or a special permit for special services. Additionally, the director shall not issue a license covering a project within the meaning of Section 127170 for which there is no valid, subsisting, and unexpired certificate of need issued pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 127125) of Part 2 of Division 107.
(b) As a condition of licensure, the director shall require evidence that the applicant have a written policy relating to the dissemination of the following information to patients:
(1) A summary of current state laws requiring child passenger restraint systems to be used when transporting children in motor vehicles.
(2) A listing of child passenger restraint system programs located within the county, as required by Section 27360 or 27362 of the Vehicle Code.
(3) Information describing the risks of death or serious injury associated with the failure to utilize a child passenger restraint system.
A hospital may satisfy the requirements of this paragraph by reproducing for distribution materials specified in Section 27366 of the Vehicle Code, describing the risks of injury or death as a result of the failure to utilize passenger restraints for infants and children, as provided, without charge, by the Department of the California Highway Patrol. A hospital that does not have these materials, but demonstrates that it has made a written request to the Department of the California Highway Patrol for the materials, is in compliance with this paragraph.
(c) The conversion of a general acute care hospital or special hospital to a general acute care hospital that exclusively provides acute medical rehabilitation center services shall not require a certificate of need, as required by Section 127170, if the health facility is rendering the services specified in subdivision (f) of Section 1250 on January 1, 1979.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 512) by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1023, Sec. 157. Effective September 29, 1996.)