§ 32.1-126.3 Fire suppression systems required in hospitals
After January 1, 1998, the Commissioner shall not issue a license to or renew the license of any hospital, regardless of when such facility was constructed, unless the hospital is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system which complies with the regulations of the Board of Housing and Community Development. The Commissioner may, at his discretion, extend the time for compliance with this section for any hospital that can demonstrate (i) its inability to comply, if such hospital submits, prior to January 1, 1998, a plan for compliance by a date certain which shall be no later than July 1, 1998, or (ii) that construction is underway for a new facility to house the services currently located in the noncomplying facility and that such construction will be completed and the noncomplying facility relocated by December 31, 1998. The provisions of Article 1.1 (§ 32.1-102.1 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of this title shall not apply to expenditures required solely for compliance with this section. For the purposes of this section and § 36-99.9:1, “automatic sprinkler system” means a device for suppressing fire in patient rooms and other areas of the hospital customarily used for patient care.
History
This law was first created in 1995. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 631 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1997, chapter 552.
1995, c. 631; 1997, c. 552.