§ 20-9-302 - Abortion clinics, health centers, etc. - Arkansas Statutes

20-9-302. Abortion clinics, health centers, etc.

(a) Any clinic, health center, or other facility in which the pregnancies of women known to be pregnant are willfully terminated or aborted, which activity is a primary function of the clinic, health center, or facility, shall be licensed by the Division of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services. The facilities, equipment, procedures, techniques, and conditions of those clinics or similar facilities shall be subject to periodic inspection by the division.

(b) The division may adopt appropriate rules and regulations regarding the facilities, equipment, procedures, techniques, and conditions of clinics and other facilities subject to the provisions of this section to assure that the facilities, equipment, procedures, techniques, and conditions are aseptic and do not constitute a health hazard.

(c) The division may levy and collect an annual fee of five hundred dollars ($500) per facility for issuance of a permanent license to an abortion facility.

(d) Applicants for a license shall file applications upon such forms as are prescribed by the division. A license shall be issued only for the premises and persons in the application and shall not be transferable.

(e) A license shall be effective on a calendar-year basis and shall expire on December 31 of each calendar year. Applications for annual license renewal shall be postmarked no later than January 2 of the succeeding calendar year. License applications for existing institutions received after that date shall be subject to a penalty of two dollars ($2.00) per day for each day after January 2.

(f) Subject to such rules and regulations as may be implemented by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, the disbursing officer for the division may transfer all unexpended funds relative to the abortion clinics that pertain to fees collected, as certified by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, to be carried forward and made available for expenditures for the same purpose for any following fiscal year.

(g) All fees levied and collected under this section are special revenues and shall be deposited into the State Treasury, there to be credited to the Public Health Fund.