(a) No person shall keep a maternity hospital or lying-in place unless such person has previously obtained a license therefor, issued by the Department of Public Health. Each such license shall be valid for a term of two years and may be revoked by the Department of Public Health upon proof that the institution for which such license was issued is being improperly conducted or for the violation of any of the provisions of this section or of the Public Health Code, or on the basis of lack of demonstrable need, provided the licensee shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard in reference to such proposed revocation.

(b) Within six hours after the departure, removal or withdrawal of any child born at such maternity hospital or lying-in place, the keeper thereof shall make a record of such departure, removal or withdrawal of such child, the names and residences of the persons who took such child or its body and the place to which it was taken and where it was left, which record shall be produced by the keeper or licensee of such hospital or lying-in place, for inspection by and upon the demand of any person authorized to make such inspection by the Department of Public Health or the council. Each keeper of any such hospital or lying-in place, and his servants and agents, shall permit any person so authorized to enter such hospital or lying-in place and inspect such hospital or lying-in place and all of its appurtenances, for the purpose of detecting any improper treatment of any child or any improper management or conduct in such hospital or lying-in place or its appurtenances. Each person so authorized may remove any article which he may think presents evidence of any crime being committed therein and deliver the same to the appropriate law enforcement official to be disposed of according to law. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months or both.

(1949 Rev., S. 4687; 1949, S. 2336d; 1969, P.A. 693, S. 4; 699, S. 23; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 89-339, S. 2, 6; P.A. 93-381 , S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)

History: 1969 acts divided section into Subsecs., allowed revocation of license on basis of lack of demonstrable need, added reference to inspectors authorized by council on hospitals and deleted reference to presentation of evidence to coroner, referring instead to “appropriate law enforcement official”; Sec. 19-43 transferred to Sec. 19-588 in 1977; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 19-588 transferred to Sec. 19a-505 in 1983; P.A. 89-339 amended Subsec. (a) to replace provision that license terminates December thirty-first, annually, with provision that license is valid for two years; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.