ARTICLE 4. Special Requirements [129875. - 129905.]

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC 4.

in effect

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129875. Section 129875.

Construction or alterations of buildings specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 shall conform to the latest edition of the California Building Standards Code. The department shall independently review and inspect these buildings. For purposes of this section, “construction or alteration” includes the conversion of a building to a purpose specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725. Any construction or alteration of any building subject to this section shall be exempt from any plan review and approval or construction inspection requirement of any city or county. The department may also exempt from the plan review process or expedite those projects undertaken by an applicant for a hospital building that the department determines do not materially alter the mechanical, electrical, architectural, or structural integrity of the facility. The department shall set forth criteria to expedite projects or to implement any exemptions made pursuant to this paragraph. The Legislature recognizes the relative safety of single-story, wood-frame, and light steel frame construction for use in housing patients requiring skilled nursing and intermediate care services and it is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to provide for reasonable flexibility in seismic safety standards for these structures. The department shall be reasonably flexible in the application of seismic standards for other buildings by allowing incidental and minor nonstructural additions or nonstructural alterations to be accomplished with simplified written approval procedures as established by the department, with the advice of the Division of the State Architect and the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The department shall implement, and modify, as necessary, criteria to exempt from the plan review process or expedite those projects for alterations of hospital buildings, and for those specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 that may include, but are not limited to, renovations, remodeling, or installations of necessary equipment such as hot water heaters, air-conditioning units, dishwashers, laundry equipment, handrails, lights, television brackets, small emergency generators (up to 25 kilowatts), storage shelves, and similar plant operations equipment; and decorative materials such as wall coverings, floor coverings, and paint. The department shall include provisions for onsite field approvals by available department construction advisers and the preapproval of projects that comply with the requirements for which the department has developed standard architectural or engineering detail, or both standard architectural and engineering detail.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129875.1. Section 129875.1.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 129875, projects for the construction or alterations of buildings specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 129725 that are single-story, wood-frame or light steel frame construction and buildings specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 shall be exempt from plan review and inspection by the department prior to construction if the facility demonstrates to the department, by written description of the project, that all of the following conditions are met: (1) The construction or alteration is undertaken to repair existing systems or to keep up the course of normal or routine maintenance. (2) The construction or alteration either restores the facility to the same operational status, or improves operational status from its operating condition immediately prior to the event, occurrence, or condition that necessitated the alteration. (3) The scope of the construction or alteration is not ordinarily within the standard of practice of a licensed architect or registered engineer. (4) The construction or alteration does not degrade the status or condition of the fire and life safety system from the status of the system immediately prior to the event, occurrence, or condition that necessitated the alteration. (b) Upon completion of construction or alteration of any building subject to this section, and prior to use of the repaired system or other subject of the construction or alteration, the department shall inspect and approve the work. The department may require an interim inspection for code compliance when walls, ceilings, or other materials or finishes will cover the final work. (c) Upon compliance with subdivision (a), the department shall issue a building permit.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129880. Section 129880.

(a) The department may exempt from its plan review process construction or alteration projects for hospital buildings and buildings described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 with estimated construction costs of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less. The criteria for exemption shall include, but not be limited to, plans that have been stamped and signed by the design professionals of record. (b) Projects that have been split into a series of smaller projects in order to avoid the qualifying dollar limits shall not be approved. The department shall maintain its construction observation mandate to ensure public safety and California Building Standards Code compliance for approved projects. (c) A presubmittal meeting between the department and the design professionals shall be required for construction or alteration projects for hospital buildings and buildings described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 with estimated construction costs of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) or more. (d) The department may adopt regulations for this section to make specific the exemption criteria and processes authorized pursuant to subdivision (a), and the complete plan review process required pursuant to subdivision (c).

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129885. Section 129885.

(a) A city or county, as applicable, shall have plan review and building inspection responsibilities for the construction or alteration of buildings described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725. For chronic dialysis and surgical services buildings, construction or alteration shall include conversion of a building to a purpose specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725. (b) Upon the initial submission to a city or county by the governing authority or owner of a hospital for plan review and building inspection services for buildings described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 for chronic dialysis and surgical services, the city or county shall reply in writing to the hospital as to whether or not the plan review by the city or county will include a certification as to whether or not the clinic project submitted for plan review meets the clinic standards propounded by the department in the California Building Standards Code. If the city or county indicates that its review will include this certification, it shall do all of the following: (1) Apply the applicable clinic provisions of the latest edition of the California Building Standards Code. (2) Certify in writing to the applicant within 30 days of completion of construction whether or not the standards have been met. (c) If, upon initial submission, the city or county indicates that its plan review will not include this certification, the governing authority or owner shall submit the plans to the Department of Health Care Access and Information and the department shall review the plans for certification to determine whether or not the clinic project meets the standards propounded by the department in the California Building Standards Code. (d) When the department performs the certification review, the department shall charge a fee in an amount not to exceed its actual cost. (e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the governing authority of a hospital may request the Department of Health Care Access and Information to perform plan review and building inspection services for buildings described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 and Section 129730. The department shall perform these services upon request and shall charge an amount equal to its standard fee for the construction and alteration of hospital buildings. The construction or alteration of these buildings shall conform to the applicable provisions of the latest edition of the California Building Standards Code for purposes of the plan review and building inspection of the department pursuant to this subdivision. The department shall issue the building permit and certificate of occupancy for these facilities. (f) A building described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725 that is subject to the plan review and building inspection of the department pursuant to subdivision (e), may be designated by the governing authority or owner of the hospital as a “hospital building” as long as the building remains under the jurisdiction of the department. This hospital building shall be reviewed and inspected according to the standards and requirements of the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 129675)). (g) When a building is accepted for review by the department pursuant to subdivision (e), the governing authority of the hospital shall not request the city or county, as applicable, to conduct plan review and building inspection for any subsequent alteration of the same building, unless written notification is submitted to the department by the governing authority or owner of the hospital.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129890. Section 129890.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department shall, on or before January 1, 1991, set forth and implement criteria for the alteration or construction of buildings specified in subdivision (a) of Section 129725 that provide for onsite field review and approval by construction advisers of the department and provide for preapproval of project plans that comply with the requirements for which the department has developed standard architectural or engineering detail, or both standard architectural and engineering detail. (b) Onsite field reviews shall be performed by available area construction advisers of the department. The area construction advisers shall have the responsibility to coordinate any approvals required by the State Fire Marshal. The approvals may be obtained prior to the start of construction or on a deferred basis, at the discretion of the area construction adviser. (c) An annual building permit project classified as a “field review” shall be reviewed and approved by the area construction adviser. (d) Effective January 1, 1991, all plans submitted for the alteration or construction of buildings specified in subdivision (a) of Section 129725 to the department for plan review shall be evaluated to determine if it is exempt from the plan review process or if it qualifies for an expedited plan review. The evaluation shall give priority to plans that are for minor renovation, remodeling, or installation of equipment.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129895. Section 129895.

(a) The department shall adopt by regulations seismic safety standards for hospital equipment anchorages, as defined by the department, to include, but not be limited to, architectural, mechanical, and electrical components, supports, and attachments. Those regulations shall include criteria for the testing of equipment anchorages. (b) Any fixed hospital equipment anchorages purchased or acquired on or after either the effective date of the regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be used or installed in any hospital building unless the equipment anchorages are approved by the department. (c) Manufacturers, designers, or suppliers of equipment anchorages may submit data sufficient for the office to evaluate equipment anchorages’ seismic safety prior to the selection of equipment anchorages for any specific hospital building. (d) The department may charge a fee based on the actual costs incurred by it for data review, approvals, and field inspections pursuant to this section.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129900. Section 129900.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, plans for the construction or alteration of any hospital building, or any building specified in Section 129875, that are prepared by or under the supervision of the Department of General Services shall not require the review and approval of the department. In lieu of review and approval by the department, the Department of General Services shall certify to the department that the plans are in full conformance with all applicable building standards and the requirements of this chapter. The Department of General Services shall also observe all aspects of construction and alteration, including the architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. It is the intent of the Legislature that projects developed by, or under the supervision of, the Department of General Services shall still meet all applicable building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to the regulation of hospital projects where applicable, and all regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter and all other applicable state laws.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 129905. Section 129905.

Subject to the complete exemption contained in paragraphs (6) and (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, plans for the construction or alteration of any hospital building, as defined in Section 1250, or any building specified in Section 129875, that are prepared by or under the supervision of the Department of Corrections or on behalf of the Department of the Youth Authority, shall not require the review and approval of the statewide department. In lieu of review and approval by the statewide department, the Department of Corrections and the Department of the Youth Authority shall certify to the statewide department that their plans and construction are in full conformance with all applicable building standards, including, but not limited to, fire and life and safety standards, and the requirements of this chapter for the architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. The Department of Corrections and the Department of the Youth Authority shall use a secondary peer review procedure to review designs to ensure the adherence to all design standards for all new construction projects, and shall ensure that the construction is inspected by a competent, onsite inspector to ensure the construction is in compliance with the design and plan specifications. Subject to the complete exemption contained in paragraphs (6) and (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 129725, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, plans for the construction or alteration of any correctional treatment center that are prepared by or under the supervision of a law enforcement agency of a city, county, or city and county shall not require the review and approval of the statewide department. In lieu of review and approval by the statewide department, the law enforcement agency of a city, county, or city and county shall certify to the statewide department that the plans and construction are in full conformance with all applicable building standards, including, but not limited to, fire and life and safety standards, and the requirements of this chapter for the architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. It is the intent of the Legislature that, except as specified in this section, all hospital buildings as defined by this chapter constructed by or under the supervision of the Department of Corrections or local law enforcement agencies, or constructed on behalf of the Department of the Youth Authority shall at a minimum meet all applicable regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter and all other applicable state laws.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026