A. 1. A certificate of need issued pursuant to the provisions of the Long-term Care Certificate of Need Act for the construction or establishment of a new long-term care service or the expansion of an existing service shall be valid for a period of six (6) months during which time the applicant shall submit to the State Department of Health the plans and specifications for the facility to be constructed; however, the Department may extend such time by a period not to exceed twelve (12) months for extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the applicant.

2. If no such plans and specifications are submitted within the time required by this section, then such certificate shall be null and void.

3. If plans and specifications are submitted, the Department shall approve or disapprove such plans and specifications within thirty (30) days of the filing or such plans and specifications shall be presumed to be approved.

4. If the Department disapproves the plans and specifications, such disapproval shall include a detailed statement of the corrections needed.

5. The State Board of Health shall provide by rule the review process and time deadlines not exceeding twelve (12) months for approval or disapproval and resubmittal of initial, final and corrected plans and specifications. The applicant’s failure to meet the review process deadlines promulgated by the Board shall render the certificate of need void.

6. The applicant must begin construction of the structure within twelve (12) months following the approval of the final plans and specifications and must proceed to complete the structure within eighteen (18) months of the approval from the beginning of construction or the certificate will be canceled. However, the Department may extend such completion day by a period not to exceed twenty-four (24) months for good cause upon the applicant’s demonstration that the applicant has made a good faith effort to complete the structure or modifications and that the delay is unlikely to result in harm to the population to be served by the applicant.

B. A certificate of need issued pursuant to the provisions of this act for the acquisition of a long-term care facility shall be valid for a period of six (6) months by which time the acquisition must be finalized, provided that the Department may extend such final date by a period not to exceed twelve (12) months for good cause.

C. Pending the appeal of an order granting a certificate of need in the district or Supreme Court, the effective dates of deadlines for submitting plans, filing reports, completion of the project and other requirements related to such project shall commence on the date of a final judicial determination of any such appeal, and any certificate of need which has been approved by the Department shall remain in effect pending such appeal. The effective date of the issuance of a certificate of need shall be the date of a final judicial determination of any such appeal. The provisions of this subsection shall have prospective and retrospective application.

Added by Laws 1971, c. 64, § 7, emerg. eff. April 8, 1971. Amended by Laws 1980, c. 188, § 7, eff. July 1, 1980; Laws 1986, c. 149, § 17, emerg. eff. April 29, 1986; Laws 1987, c. 225, § 46, eff. July 5, 1987; Laws 1989, c. 227, § 13; Laws 2002, c. 230, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2002; Laws 2004, c. 436, § 7, emerg. eff. June 4, 2004.