(a) In order to encourage and ensure the establishment of emergency cardiac care centers throughout the state, the office shall award grants, subject to appropriations from the General Assembly, to hospitals that seek designation as emergency cardiac care centers and demonstrate a need for financial assistance to develop the necessary infrastructure, including personnel and equipment, in order to satisfy the criteria for designation as an emergency cardiac care center pursuant to this article.

(b) A hospital seeking designation as an emergency cardiac care center pursuant to this article may apply to the office for a grant, in a manner and on a form required by the office, and provide such information as the office deems necessary to determine if the hospital is eligible for such grant.

(c) The office may provide grants to as many hospitals as it deems appropriate, subject to appropriations from the General Assembly, taking into consideration adequate geographic diversity with respect to locations.

(d) The office shall annually prepare and submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for distribution to its committee members a report indicating the total number of hospitals that have applied for grants pursuant to this Code section, the number of applicants that have been determined by the office to be eligible for such grants, the total number of grants to be awarded, the name and address of each grantee, and the amount of the award to each grantee.