Section 127220.

(a)  The office, within 15 days of its receipt of an application for a certificate of need submitted pursuant to Section 127210, shall make a determination as to whether the application is complete. If the office determines that the applicant has not submitted an application that adequately addresses the information requirements of the application form, it shall provide to the applicant a written notification of incompleteness specifying the additional information required to render the application complete. After receipt of this additional information, the office, within 15 days, shall make a determination as to whether the application is complete.

(b)  If, after review of additional information pursuant to subdivision (a), the office determines that the application is still incomplete, it shall provide to the applicant a written notification of incompleteness, advising the applicant of the additional information needed and the options available to the applicant to render the application complete. Following receipt of notification, the applicant shall exercise one of the following options:

(1)  Submit the additional information required by the office.

(2)  Request in writing, with or without submitting the additional information, that the review commence notwithstanding the determination of incompleteness.

Upon receipt of a written statement requesting that the review commence, the application shall be deemed complete on the fifth business day following receipt unless the office determines, and notifies the applicant in writing, by the fifth business day, that the lack of information is so material that it would render meaningful analysis of the application impossible and that the application is therefore incomplete. This determination shall be based solely on the failure to provide information specifically requested by the application form.

If the applicant submits the requested additional information and does not submit a written statement requesting the office to commence the review notwithstanding its determination of incompleteness, the office, within 15 days after receipt of the additional information, shall make a determination as to whether the application is complete.

Upon the receipt of any additional notifications of incompleteness, the applicant shall exercise one of the options enumerated in paragraphs (1) and (2). The office, in its second or subsequent completeness inquiry, shall not request information beyond the scope of the preceding request.

(c)  If the office does not give the notification of incompleteness within the 15-day period required for review of completeness, the application shall be deemed complete on the 15th day following the receipt of the material submitted and the office shall then proceed with its review.

(d)  The office shall publish notice of the commencement of the review promptly after the application review process commences pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c).

(e)  A completed application may be amended or withdrawn by the applicant at any time without prejudice, but any amendment to an application, except as the office and the applicant may otherwise agree, shall cause the amended application to be treated as a new application for purposes of the time limits prescribed by this chapter and for the determination of the amount of the fee.

(f)  A filed application shall be a public document and shall be available for inspection at the offices of the area health planning agency and the office. A copy of any filed application shall be furnished to any person upon request and payment of a reasonable fee, to be established by the office in an amount sufficient to defray the costs of reproduction.

(g)  Applications filed by any state agency or the Board of Regents of the University of California shall be exempt from a filing fee.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 1996.)