§22-4-5. Adoption, revision, etc., of rules, regulations, standards, etc., by State Board of Health; appeals therefrom; State Board of Health not to discriminate among branches of healing arts in administration of funds.

(a) The State Board of Health, with the advice and consultation of the Statewide Health Coordinating Council, is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt, revise, abolish, promulgate and publish rules, regulations, standards and procedures for:

(1) The preparation of the preliminary State Health Plan and the State Medical Facilities Plan;

(2) The administration of the State Health Plan and of the State Medical Facilities Plan after approval by the Statewide Health Coordinating Council;

(3) The construction and operation of health care facilities established under the State Medical Facilities Plan; and

(4) Such other matters as may be necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this chapter.

(b) The State Board of Health is also authorized and empowered to establish and maintain procedures pursuant to which any person or organization may appeal a decision of the State Board of Health under this chapter and will be granted a fair hearing by a hearing officer appointed by the Governor to conduct such hearing.

(c) In making its initial regulations, and any amendments or rescissions thereof, the board shall give as wide publicity among all persons, firms, corporations, health care facilities and other enterprises as are likely to be affected by or interested in said regulations as is practicable to do at least 30 days prior to the date set by the board for hearing and determination of such rules and regulations. All hearings shall be joint hearings set by the State Board of Health and the Statewide Health Coordinating Council at Montgomery, Alabama. At such hearings any interested person, firm, corporation or health care facility or any member of the public may be heard.

(d) Any person, firm, corporation or health facility affected by the initial rules and regulations or any amendment or rescission thereof may appeal consideration thereof to the Circuit Court of Montgomery County within 30 days from the adoption of same following the hearing provided by giving security for costs and the filing of a complaint with the court, setting forth the interest of the appellant, the ruling complained of and the facts upon which the appellant appeals for relief. Upon appeal, the questions of reasonableness of such regulations shall be a question of fact for the court to determine, and no presumption shall be indulged that the regulations adopted were and are reasonable regulations.

(e) Regulations adopted under this section shall become effective upon the expiration of 30 days from the date of adoption, amendment or rescission or, if an appeal has been taken, upon the final disposition of the appeal.

(f) From any judgment of the circuit court in any case appealed to it, an appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court of Alabama within 42 days from the date of entry of the judgment in the same manner as other appeals authorized by law, and no presumption shall be indulged by the supreme court as to the correctness of the trial court's finding of facts.

(g) Nothing contained in this section shall authorize the State Board of Health to make rules and regulations concerning the practice of chiropractic, dentistry, optometry or any of the healing arts.

(h) All funds available to the State Board of Health in carrying out the purposes of this chapter shall be administered without discrimination in respect to the several branches of the healing arts.

(Acts 1975, No. 1197, p. 2365, §5; Acts 1978, No. 777, p. 1134, §5.)