131E-8.1. Maintenance of Health Education Facilities.
(a) This section shall apply to all sales and leases of a hospital facility by a municipality or hospital authority where any portion of the facility was constructed with a capital grant from the Area Health Education Centers Program (AHEC).
(b) The municipality or hospital authority shall give specific notice of intent to sell or lease and of any public hearing to the Director of the local AHEC program and the Director of the AHEC Program at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill.
(c) The municipality or hospital authority may provide continued access to the identical or equivalent facilities suitable for continuation of AHEC activities, including all services being provided under the existing operating contract. The municipality or hospital authority may convey all ownership rights in the hospital facility, or any part thereof, to the local AHEC Program without monetary consideration. Further, the municipality or hospital authority may reimburse the local AHEC Program for any funds used for the original construction of any office for AHEC provided by AHEC to establish or continue the hospital facility.
(d) No portion of this section shall be construed to alter rights or obligations of the operating contracts between the hospital facility and AHEC.