638                              Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 461

HEALTH TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN MINIMUM STANDARDS
FOR HOSPITALS USED AS NURSING, CONVALESCENT OR
CARE HOMES, TO REQUIRE APPROVAL FOR CONSTRUC-
TION OR ALTERATION OF SUCH HOSPITALS, TO AUTHOR-
IZE INSPECTION OF SUCH HOSPITALS, AND TO PROVIDE
PENALTIES FOR OPERATION IN VIOLATION OF MINIMUM
STANDARDS.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,

That new Section 565B be and it is hereby added to Article 43 of

the Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition and 1960 Supple-
ment), title "Health", sub title "Hospitals", to follow immediately
THAT SECTION 565A OF ARTICLE 43 OF THE ANNO-
TATED CODE OF MARYLAND (1960 SUPPLEMENT), TITLE
"HEALTH", SUB-TITLE "HOSPITALS", BE AND IT IS HERE-
BY REPEALED AND RE-ENACTED, WITH AMENDMENTS,
AND THAT NEW SECTION 565B BE AND IT IS HEREBY
ADDED TO THE SAID ARTICLE AND SUB-TITLE OF THE
CODE TO FOLLOW IMMEDIATELY after Section 565A thereof,
and to read as follows:

565A.

ANY PERSON MAINTAINING AND OPERATING A HOS-
PITAL USED AS A NURSING, CONVALESCENT OR CARE
HOME IN VIOLATION OF THE MINIMUM STANDARDS PRO-
MULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH COVERING
SAFETY AND SANITATION IN PHYSICAL PLANT, THERA-
PEUTIC AND LABORATORY FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
OF SUCH HOSPITALS AND WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBTITLE, SHALL BE GUILTY OF A
MISDEMEANOR, AND UPON CONVICTION THEREOF SHALL
BE FINED NOT MORE THAN TEN DOLLARS ($10.00) FOR THE
FIRST OFFENSE AND NOT MORE THAN TWENTY-FIVE DOL-
LARS ($25.00) FOR EACH SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE. EACH
DAY SUCH HOSPITAL SHALL OPERATE AFTER A FIRST
CONVICTION SHALL BE CONSIDERED A SUBSEQUENT
OFFENSE.

565B.

(a) The State Board of Health shall cause each hospital used as a
nursing, convalescent and OR care home in the State of Maryland to
be periodically inspected under rules and regulations to be estab-
lished by said Board of Health, as hereinafter provided. Any or-
ganization desiring to construct a hospital as defined herein or
make alterations or additions to such an existing hospital or
changes in the facilities must, before constructing such hospital or
making such change, alteration or addition, obtain from the State
Board of Health approval of the same. Nothing contained in this
section shall be construed as in any way superseding the provisions
of any local building code now in existence, or hereafter enacted.
The State Board of Health shall investigate the change, alteration
or addition so contemplated to be made and as soon thereafter as
reasonably practical shall notify the organization that said change,
alteration or addition is approved or disapproved with such recom-
mendations as the State Board of Health shall make.