Existing law, the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983, establishes a program of seismic safety building standards for certain hospitals. Existing law requires hospitals that are seeking an extension for their buildings to submit an application to the Department of Health Care Access and Information by April 1, 2019, subject to certain exceptions. Existing law requires that final seismic compliance be achieved by July 1, 2022, if the compliance is based on a replacement or retrofit plan, or by January 1, 2025, if the compliance is based on a rebuild plan. Notwithstanding the above provisions, existing law authorizes the department to waive the requirements of the act for the O'Connor Hospital and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in the City of San Jose if the hospital or medical center submits a plan for compliance by a specified date, and the department accepts the plan based on it being feasible to complete and promoting public safety. Existing law requires, if the department accepts the plan, the hospital or medical center to report to the department on its progress to timely complete the plan by specified dates. Existing law imposes penalties to a hospital that fails to meet its deadline.
This bill would add Providence St. Joseph Hospital and Providence Eureka General Hospital in the City of Eureka, Providence St. Jude Medical Center in the City of Fullerton, and Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in the City of Tarzana to the hospitals for which the department may waive the requirements of the act. The bill would add additional dates for the hospital or medical center to report to the department on its progress.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Statutes affected:
SB1119: 130068 HSC
02/13/24 - Introduced: 130068 HSC
SB 1119: 130068 HSC