SB460 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg J. Reed

Republican

Co-Sponsor

Mark Slade Blackwell

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Home Medical Equipment Services Providers, Board of, name changed to Home Medical Equipment, Board of, duties revised, licensure and regulation, disciplinary hearings, administrative fines, injunctions, penalties, Secs. 34-14C-1, 34-14C-2, 34-14C-4, 34-14C-4.1, 34-14C-6, 34-14C-8 am'd.; Act 2010-148, 2010 Reg. Sess. am'd.

Summary

SB460 renames the Home Medical Equipment Services Providers Board to the Board of Home Medical Equipment and expands its licensing, inspection, and enforcement authority over home medical equipment services.

What This Bill Does

The bill changes the board’s name, lets it hire an administrator and staff, adopt a seal, and set fees. It requires providers to be licensed annually (per location for multi-location entities), allows provisional licenses for noncompliant providers, and improves renewal and lapse procedures. It authorizes the board to deny, suspend, or revoke licenses, hold disciplinary hearings, and impose administrative fines, injunctions, and other penalties for violations; it also strengthens inspection authority and remedies for unlicensed practice.

Who It Affects

• Home medical equipment services providers, who would must obtain and renew licenses each year, may face provisional licensing if initially noncompliant, and could incur fines, injunctions, or other penalties for violations.
• Alabama residents and consumers, who would benefit from tighter regulation and enforcement of providers to ensure safety and compliance, through board inspections, disciplinary actions, and penalties for noncompliant providers.

Key Provisions

• Renames the board to the Board of Home Medical Equipment and authorizes it to appoint an administrator and staff, adopt a seal, and set reasonable fees.
• Requires annual licensing of home medical equipment services providers, with license issuance per licensed location and a renewal process that includes a grace period and potential lapse of license.
• Out-of-state providers must have a physical location in Alabama meeting specified standards and may be subject to board inspections; the board may inspect applicants and licensees, including out-of-state locations, with limited out-of-state inspection staff.
• Establishes grounds to deny, suspend, or revoke a license, and requires notice and opportunity for a hearing; allows informal resolution via stipulation or consent order.
• Authorizes administrative fines up to $1,000 per day for unlicensed practice, and permits injunctions, civil penalties, and appeals; violations can constitute a Class A misdemeanor.
• Provides for provisional licenses for six months if initial inspections reveal noncompliance, with reinspections and a possible up to $150 reinspection fee.
• Gives the board authority to set and collect inspection fees; requires inspections to ensure compliance with licensing standards and allows board to conduct inspections upon consumer complaints or for cause.
• Requires hearings to be conducted in Montgomery County and places the board under the Alabama Sunset Law, with termination dates as required by that law.
• Effective date set for the first day of the third month after the act’s passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Home Medical Equipment Services Providers, Board of