GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
H	3
HOUSE BILL 1147
 Committee Substitute Favorable 4/23/01
 Senate Health Care Committee Substitute Adopted 9/10/01 

Short Title:	Hospital Temporary Bed Increases.	()	
Sponsors:	     	
Referred to:	     	
April 12, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PERMIT A HOSPITAL TO TEMPORARILY INCREASE ITS BED CAPACITY AFTER NOTIFYING THE DIVISION OF FACILITY SERVICES and to direct the medical care commission to adopt temporary rules for the licensing of neonatal care beds.  

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Chapter 131E of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 131E-83.  Temporary change of hospital bed capacity.
A hospital may temporarily increase its bed capacity by up to ten percent (10%) over its licensed bed capacity by utilizing observation beds for hospital inpatients if the hospital notifies and obtains the approval of the Division of Facility Services. For purposes of this section, 'temporarily' means not longer than 60 consecutive days."
SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding G.S. 150B‑21.1(a), the Medical Care Commission shall adopt temporary rules setting forth conditions for licensing all levels of neonatal care beds.  After having the proposed temporary rules published in the North Carolina Register and at least 30 days prior to adopting any temporary rules pursuant to this section, the Commission shall:
(1)	Notify persons on its mailing list maintained pursuant to G.S. 150B‑21.2(d) and any other interested parties of its intent to adopt the temporary rules.
(2)	Accept oral and written comments on the proposed temporary rules.
(3)	Hold at least one public hearing on the proposed temporary rules.
When the Commission adopts temporary rules pursuant to this section, the Commission shall submit a reference to this section as the Commission's statement of need to the Codifier of Rules. The Codifier of Rules shall review the Commission's proposed temporary rules in accordance with G.S. 150B‑21.1(b).
SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective November 1, 2001.  Section 2 of this act is effective when it becomes law and expires 180 days from the effective date.  The remainder of this act is effective when this act becomes law.