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92_HB3071gms
STATE OF ILLINOIS
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
SPRINGFIELD, 62706
GEORGE H. RYAN
GOVERNOR
August 2, 2001
To the Honorable Members of the
Illinois House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly
Pursuant to Article IV, section 9(b) of the Illinois
Constitution of 1970, I hereby veto and return House Bill
3071, entitled "AN ACT concerning health facilities."
House Bill 3071 amends the Hospital Licensing Act to
reduce the fee structure paid to the Department of Public
Health (DPH) for facility plan reviews. It also requires DPH
to annually adjust the rates to reflect the increase in
construction costs due to inflation. Additionally, the
legislation requires DPH to review plans for the proposed
alteration, addition, or new construction of hospitals or
long term care facilities, and maintains that the fees
collected are to be deposited into the Health Facility Plan
Review Fund.
The Health Facility Plan Review Fund is a special state
fund set up to receive and record monies obtained from fees
assessed in association with the review of plans for
construction of or specific alterations to treatment centers,
nursing homes, hospitals, and other facilities. DPH may
expend monies in the fund for costs associated with
conducting these reviews.
Signing HB 3071 into law would decrease the percentage
rate applied to estimated construction costs utilized to
calculate hospital fees. Additionally, signing this bill
would allow for an annual inflation adjustment to reflect the
increase in construction costs.
I understand that HB 3071 attempts to correct a fee
schedule that some entities consider outdated. However, I am
concerned about signing legislation that enacts fees which re
insufficient to support a program's operational expenses
during a time when the state is facing reduced revenues.
Signing this legislation would result in the Health Facility
Plan Fund balance decreasing because the new fees suggested
by HB 3071 are not sufficient to cover expenses for the year.
This could potentially put the state in a precarious position
of not maintaining adequate funds to keep up with future
budgetary pressures.
For these reasons, I hereby veto and return HB 3071.
Sincerely,
s/GEORGE H. RYAN
Governor