Construction inspections; plan submission and approval; fees.

(1)(a) The design, construction, erection, alteration, modification, repair, and demolition of all public and private health care facilities are governed by the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code under ss. 553.73 and 633.206. In addition to the requirements of ss. 553.79 and 553.80, the agency shall review facility plans and survey the construction of any facility licensed under this chapter. The agency shall make, or cause to be made, such construction inspections and investigations as it deems necessary. The agency may prescribe by rule that any licensee or applicant desiring to make specified types of alterations or additions to its facilities or to construct new facilities shall, before commencing such alteration, addition, or new construction, submit plans and specifications therefor to the agency for preliminary inspection and approval or recommendation with respect to compliance with applicable provisions of the Florida Building Code or agency rules and standards. The agency shall approve or disapprove the plans and specifications within 60 days after receipt of the fee for review of plans as required in subsection (2). The agency may be granted one 15-day extension for the review period if the director of the agency approves the extension. If the agency fails to act within the specified time, it shall be deemed to have approved the plans and specifications. When the agency disapproves plans and specifications, it shall set forth in writing the reasons for its disapproval. Conferences and consultations may be provided as necessary.

(b) All outpatient facilities that provide surgical treatments requiring general anesthesia or IV conscious sedation, that provide cardiac catheterization services, or that are to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers shall submit plans and specifications to the agency for review under this section. All other outpatient facilities must be reviewed under this section, except that those that are physically detached from, and have no utility connections with, the hospital and that do not block emergency egress from or create a fire hazard to the hospital are exempt from review under this section. This paragraph applies to applications for which review is pending on or after July 1, 1998.

(2) The agency is authorized to charge an initial fee of $2,000 for review of plans and construction on all projects, no part of which is refundable. The agency may also collect a fee, not to exceed 1 percent of the estimated construction cost or the actual cost of review, whichever is less, for the portion of the review which encompasses initial review through the initial revised construction document review. The agency is further authorized to collect its actual costs on all subsequent portions of the review and construction inspections. The initial fee payment shall accompany the initial submission of plans and specifications. Any subsequent payment that is due is payable upon receipt of the invoice from the agency.