BILL NUMBER: SB 1659	CHAPTERED  09/29/06

	CHAPTER  678
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 28, 2006
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 23, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 7, 2006
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 20, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 24, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 26, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Cox

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2006

   An act to amend Section 129765 of, and to add and repeal Section
130021.5 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to health
facilities.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1659, Cox  Hospital seismic retrofit.
   (1) Existing law, the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities
Seismic Safety Act of 1983, requires the Office of Statewide Health
Planning and Development to assume prescribed duties relating to
construction and alteration of hospital buildings, including, but not
limited to, review and approval of construction plans, in order to
ensure that the buildings would be reasonably capable of providing
services after a disaster.
   Existing law sets forth the facilities plan application
requirements, including, but not limited to, that the application be
accompanied by the plans and full, complete, and accurate
specifications.
   This bill would authorize the office to permit electronic
submission of plans.
   (2) Existing law requires that all related regulatory submissions
by the office to the California Building Standards Commission be
adopted as emergency regulations.
   This bill would require the office to propose to the commission
regulations facilitating construction of toilet rooms accessible to
persons with disabilities in hospitals and skilled nursing
facilities, and would deem them to be emergency regulations.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 129765 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   129765.  In each case, the application for approval of the plans
shall be accompanied by the plans, by full, complete, and accurate
specifications, by structural design computations, which shall comply
with the requirements prescribed by the office. The office may
permit electronic submission of plans.
  SEC. 2.  Section 130021.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code,
to read:
   130021.5.  (a)  The Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development shall propose to the California Building Standards
Commission regulations amending the California Mechanical Code within
the California Building Standards Code that facilitate construction
of toilet rooms accessible to persons with disabilities, in hospitals
and skilled nursing facilities. The regulations shall be deemed to
be emergency regulations and shall be adopted as such.
   (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2008, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2008, deletes or extends
that date.