Hospice facilities.

Under existing law, the State Department of Public Health licenses and regulates health facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and congregate living health facilities. Under existing law, the department also licenses and regulates hospices and the provision of hospice services. Violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would create a new health facility licensing category for, and would require the department to develop regulations governing licensure of, hospice facilities, as defined. It would impose various requirements on these facilities. This bill would exclude a freestanding building used, or designed to be used, as a congregate living health facility or as a hospice facility from the definition of a hospital building for purposes of the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983. Because this bill would create a new crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, proposed by SB 1228 to be operative only if SB 1228 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. The bill would also incorporate additional changes in Section 1266 of the Health and Safety Code, proposed by AB 1710 to be operative only if AB 1710 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is chaptered last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.