                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS REQUIRED IN HOSPITALS (§ 32.1-126.3)

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, &#8220;automatic sprinkler
system&#8221; means a device for suppressing fire in patient rooms and other
areas of the hospital customarily used for patient care.

HISTORY: 1995, c. 631; 1997, c. 552.