Section 703. Notice and hearings before health systems agencies.
(a) Notice of completed applications for certificates of need or amendment thereto and of the beginning of review shall be published by the health systems agency in the appropriate news media and by the department in the Pennsylvania Bulletin in accordance with 45 Pa.C.S. Chap. 7B (relating to publication of documents), and the health systems agency shall notify all affected persons with notice of the schedule for review, the date by which a public hearing must be demanded, and of the manner notice will be given of a hearing, if one is to be held. Notice to affected persons (other than members of the public who are to be served by the proposed new institutional health service) shall be by mail (which may be part of a newsletter). Members of the public may be notified through newspapers of general circulation. Directly affected persons may file objections within 15 days of such publication with the local health systems agency setting forth specifically the reasons such objections were filed. Persons filing the objections shall be parties to the proceeding, unless and until such objections are withdrawn.
(b) Affected persons may request a public hearing or the health systems agency may require a public hearing during the course of such review. Fourteen days written notice of the hearing shall be given to affected persons in the same manner as a notice of a completed application is provided in subsection (a). In the hearing, any person shall have the right to be represented by counsel and to present oral or written arguments and relevant evidence. Any person directly affected may conduct reasonable questioning of persons who make relevant factual allegations. A record of the hearing shall be maintained.
(703 amended July 12, 1980, P.L.655, No.136)