HF 3090

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 04/03/2025 02:40 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to health; clarifying hospital closure provisions; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2024, section 144.555, subdivisions 1a, 1b.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 144.555, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a.

Notice of closing, curtailing operations, relocating services, or ceasing to
offer certain services; hospitals.

(a) The controlling persons of a hospital licensed under
sections 144.50 to 144.56 or a hospital campus must notify the commissioner of health, the
public, and others at least 182 days before the hospital or hospital campus voluntarily plans
to implement one of the scheduled actions listed in paragraph (b), unless the controlling
persons can demonstrate to the commissioner that meeting the advanced notice requirement
is not feasible and the commissioner approves a shorter advanced notice.

(b) The following scheduled actions require advanced notice under paragraph (a):

(1) ceasing operations;

(2) curtailing operations to the extent that deleted text begin patients deleted text end new text begin inpatients or emergency department
services new text end must be relocated;

(3) relocating the provision of new text begin inpatient new text end health services new text begin or emergency department services new text end
to another hospital or deleted text begin another deleted text end hospital campus; or

(4) ceasing to offer new text begin inpatient new text end maternity care and new text begin inpatient new text end newborn care services, new text begin inpatient new text end
intensive care unit services, inpatient mental health services, or inpatient substance use
disorder treatment services.

(c) A notice required under this subdivision must comply with the requirements in
subdivision 1d.

(d) The commissioner shall cooperate with the controlling persons and advise them
about relocating the patients.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 144.555, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:

Subd. 1b.

Public hearing.

Within 30 days after receiving notice under subdivision 1a,
the commissioner shall conduct a public hearing on the scheduled cessation of operations,
curtailment of operations, relocation of health services, or cessation in offering health
services. The commissioner must provide adequate public notice of the hearing in a time
and manner determined by the commissioner. new text begin The commissioner must ensure that video
conferencing technology will be used to allow members of the public to view and participate
in the hearing. new text end The controlling persons of the hospital or hospital campus must participate
in the public hearing. The public hearing must be held at a location that is within ten miles
of the hospital or hospital campus or with the commissioner's approval as close as is
practicable, and that is provided or arranged by the hospital or hospital campus. deleted text begin Video
conferencing technology must be used to allow members of the public to view and participate
in the hearing. deleted text end The public hearing must include:

(1) an explanation by the controlling persons of the reasons for ceasing or curtailing
operations, relocating health services, or ceasing to offer any of the listed health services;

(2) a description of the actions that controlling persons will take to ensure that residents
in the hospital's or campus's service area have continued access to the health services being
eliminated, curtailed, or relocated;

(3) an opportunity for public testimony on the scheduled cessation or curtailment of
operations, relocation of health services, or cessation in offering any of the listed health
services, and on the hospital's or campus's plan to ensure continued access to those health
services being eliminated, curtailed, or relocated; and

(4) an opportunity for the controlling persons to respond to questions from interested
persons.