(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is in the best interest of the state and its residents for kidney disease treatment centers to be established and operated throughout the state so that any patient needing such treatment will be able to utilize a hemodialysis unit located within a reasonable distance from his or her home; that a shortage of kidney disease treatment centers now exists in the rural areas and smaller municipalities in the state; that the existence of the certificate of need requirement with respect to new kidney disease treatment centers is a factor that hinders the establishment of new treatment centers in the less heavily-populated areas of the state; that, in order to encourage and facilitate the development of new kidney disease treatment centers in those areas of the state where such centers are most needed, it is rational, appropriate and desirable to provide an exemption from the certificate of need requirement for any kidney disease treatment center located in a Class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 municipality that contains no more than ten hemodialysis units; and that, because of the existence in Class 1, 2 and 3 municipalities of major medical facilities that serve the residents of such municipalities and the surrounding areas, it is rational, appropriate and desirable to provide that the exemption granted by this section shall not apply to a kidney disease treatment center located in a Class 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 municipality if such municipality is located in a county in which a Class 1, 2 or 3 municipality is located.

(b) Notwithstanding any existing law to the contrary, any kidney disease treatment center that contains no more than ten freestanding hemodialysis units and that is located in a Class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 municipality (as such classes are defined in Sections 11-40-12 and 11-40-13 or any successor provision of law) shall not be subject to or governed by the provisions of Article 9 of Chapter 21 of Title 22 (including, without limitation, the provisions of said article which require that a certificate of need be obtained from the State Health Planning and Development Agency as a condition precedent to the offering or development of new institutional health services).

(c) The provisions of subsection (b) shall not apply to a kidney disease treatment center located in a Class 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 municipality if such municipality or any part thereof is located in a county in which a Class 1, 2 or 3 municipality or any part thereof is located.