§ 131E-13.  Lease or sale of hospital facilities to or from for-profit or nonprofit corporations or other business entities by municipalities and hospital authorities.

(a) A municipality or hospital authority as defined in G.S. 131E-16(14), may lease, sell, or convey any hospital facility, or part of a hospital facility, to a corporation, foreign or domestic, authorized to do business in North Carolina, subject to these conditions, which shall be included in the lease, agreement of sale, or agreement of conveyance:

(1) The corporation shall continue to provide the same or similar clinical hospital services to its patients in medical-surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, outpatient and emergency treatment, including emergency services for the indigent, that the hospital facility provided prior to the lease, sale, or conveyance. These services may be terminated only as prescribed by Certificate of Need Law prescribed in Article 9 of Chapter 131E of the General Statutes, or, if Certificate of Need Law is inapplicable, by review procedure designed to guarantee public participation pursuant to rules adopted by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

(2) The corporation shall ensure that indigent care is available to the population of the municipality or area served by the hospital authority at levels related to need, as previously demonstrated and determined mutually by the municipality or hospital authority and the corporation.

(3) The corporation shall not enact financial admission policies that have the effect of denying essential medical services or treatment solely because of a patient's immediate inability to pay for the services or treatment.

(4) The corporation shall ensure that admission to and services of the facility are available to beneficiaries of governmental reimbursement programs (Medicaid/Medicare) without discrimination or preference because they are beneficiaries of those programs.

(5) The corporation shall prepare an annual report that shows compliance with the requirements of the lease, sale, or conveyance.

The corporation shall further agree that if it fails to substantially comply with these conditions, or if it fails to operate the facility as a community general hospital open to the general public and free of discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, or national origin unless relieved of this responsibility by operation of law, or if the corporation dissolves without a successor corporation to carry out the terms and conditions of the lease, agreement of sale, or agreement of conveyance, all ownership or other rights in the hospital facility, including the building, land and equipment associated with the hospital, shall revert to the municipality or hospital authority or successor entity originally conveying the hospital; provided that any building, land, or equipment associated with the hospital facility that the corporation has constructed or acquired since the sale may revert only upon payment to the corporation of a sum equal to the cost less depreciation of the building, land, or equipment.

This section shall not apply to (i) leases in which the same tenant has continuously held possession of a hospital facility, or part of a hospital facility, since at least June 30, 1984, or (ii) leases, sales, or conveyances of nonmedical services or commercial activities, including the gift shop, cafeteria, the flower shop, or to surplus hospital property that is not required in the delivery of necessary hospital services at the time of the lease, sale, or conveyance.

(b) In the case of a sale or conveyance, if either general obligation bonds or revenue bonds issued for the benefit of the hospital to be conveyed are outstanding at the time of sale or conveyance, then the corporation shall agree to the following:

By the effective date of sale or conveyance, the corporation shall place into an escrow fund money or direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which, are unconditionally guaranteed by the United States of America (as approved by the Local Government Commission), the principal of and interest on which, when due and payable, will provide sufficient money to pay the principal of and the interest and redemption premium, if any, on all bonds then outstanding to the maturity date or dates of such bonds or to the date or dates specified for the redemption thereof. The corporation shall furnish to the Local Government Commission such evidence as the Commission may require that the securities purchased will satisfy the requirements of this section. A hospital which has placed funds in escrow to retire outstanding general obligation or revenue bonds, as provided in this section, shall not be considered a public hospital, and G.S. 159-39(a)(3) shall be inapplicable to such hospitals.

No bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness shall be issued by a municipality or hospital authority to finance equipment for or the acquisition, extension, construction, reconstruction, improvement, enlargement, or betterment of any hospital facility if the facility has been sold or conveyed to a corporation, foreign or domestic, authorized to do business in North Carolina.

(c) In the case of a lease, the municipality or hospital authority shall determine the length of the lease. No lease executed under this section shall be deemed to convey a freehold interest. Any sublease or assignment of the lease shall be subject to the conditions prescribed by this section. If the term of the lease is more than 10 years, and either general obligation bonds or revenue bonds issued for the benefit of the hospital to be leased are outstanding at the time of the lease, then the corporation shall agree to the following:

By the effective date of the lease, the corporation shall place into an escrow fund money or direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which, are unconditionally guaranteed by the United States of America (as approved by the Local Government Commission), the principal of and interest on which, when due and payable, will provide sufficient money to pay the principal of and the interest and redemption premium, if any, on all bonds then outstanding to the maturity date or dates of such bonds or to the date or dates specified for the redemption thereof. The corporation shall furnish to the Local Government Commission such evidence as the Commission may require that the securities purchased will satisfy the requirements of this section.

No bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness shall be issued by a municipality or hospital authority to finance equipment for or the acquisition, extension, construction, reconstruction, improvement, enlargement, or betterment of any hospital facility when the facility is leased to a corporation, foreign or domestic, authorized to do business in North Carolina.

(d) The municipality or hospital authority shall comply with the following procedures before leasing, selling, or conveying a hospital facility, or part of a hospital facility:

(1) The municipality or hospital authority shall first adopt a resolution declaring its intent to sell, lease, or convey the hospital facility at a regular meeting on 10 days' public notice. Notice shall be given by publication in one or more papers of general circulation in the affected area describing the intent to lease, sell, or convey the hospital facility involved, known potential buyers or lessees, a solicitation of additional interested buyers or lessees and intent to negotiate the terms of the lease or sale. Specific notice, given by certified mail, shall be given to the local office of each state-supported program that has made a capital expenditure in the hospital facility, to the Department of Health and Human Services, and to the Office of State Budget and Management.

(2) At the meeting to adopt a resolution of intent, the municipality or hospital authority shall request proposals for lease or purchase by direct solicitation of at least five prospective lessees or buyers. The solicitation shall include a copy of G.S. 131E-13.

(3) The municipality or hospital authority shall conduct a public hearing on the resolution of intent not less than 15 days after its adoption. Notice of the public hearing shall be given by publication at least 15 days before the hearing. All interested persons shall be heard at the public hearing.

(4) Before considering any proposal to lease or purchase, the municipality or hospital authority shall require information on charges, services, and indigent care at similar facilities owned or operated by the proposed lessee or buyer.

(5) Not less than 45 days after adopting a resolution of intent and not less than 30 days after conducting a public hearing on the resolution of intent, the municipality or hospital authority shall conduct a public hearing on proposals for lease or purchase that have been made. Notice of the public hearings shall be given by publication at least 10 days before the hearing. The notice shall state that copies of proposals for lease or purchase are available to the public.

(6) The municipality or hospital authority shall make copies of the proposals to lease or purchase available to the public at least 10 days before the public hearing on the proposals.

(7) Not less than 60 days after adopting a resolution of intent, the municipality or hospital authority at a regular meeting shall approve any lease, sale, or conveyance by a resolution. The municipality or hospital authority shall adopt this resolution only upon a finding that the lease, sale, or conveyance is in the public interest after considering whether the proposed lease, sale, or conveyance will meet the health-related needs of medically underserved groups, such as low income persons, racial and ethnic minorities, and handicapped persons. Notice of the regular meeting shall be given at least 10 days before the meeting and shall state that copies of the lease, sale, or conveyance proposed for approval are available.

(8) At least 10 days before the regular meeting at which any lease, sale, or conveyance is approved, the municipality or hospital authority shall make copies of the proposed contract available to the public.

(d1) Subsection (d) of this section does not apply to subleases in which the same tenant, acting as a sublessor, has continuously held possession of a hospital facility, or part of a hospital facility, since at least June 30, 1984; provided, however, that upon notice by the tenant to a municipality or hospital authority that the tenant, acting as a sublessor, has approved a sublease of a hospital facility, or part of a hospital facility, the municipality or hospital authority shall comply with the provisions of subdivisions (h)(1) through (h)(4) of this section.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section or G.S. 131E-23, a hospital authority as defined in G.S. 131E-16(14) or a municipality may lease or sublease hospital land to a corporation or other business entity, whether for profit or not for profit, and may participate as an owner, joint venturer, or other equity participant with a corporation or other business entity for the development, construction, and operation of medical office buildings and other health care or hospital facilities, so long as the municipality, hospital authority, or other entity continues to maintain its primary community general hospital facilities as required by subsection (a) of this section.

(f) A municipality or hospital authority may permit or consent to the pledge of hospital land or leasehold estates in hospital land to facilitate the development, construction, and operation of medical office buildings and other health care or hospital facilities. A municipality or hospital authority also may, as lessee, enter into master leases or agreements to fund for temporary vacancies relating to hospital land or hospital facilities for use in the provision of health care.

(g) Neither G.S. 153A-176 nor Article 12 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes shall apply to leases, subleases, sales, or conveyances under this Chapter.

(h) A municipality or hospital authority that has complied with the requirements of subdivisions (1) through (6) of subsection (d) of this section but has not, following good-faith negotiations, approved any lease, sale, or conveyance as required by subdivisions (7) and (8) of subsection (d) of this section may, not less than 120 days following the public hearing required by subdivision (5) of subsection (d) of this section, solicit additional prospective lessees or buyers not previously solicited as required by subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of this section and may approve any lease, sale, or conveyance without the necessity to repeat compliance with the requirements of subdivisions (1) through (6) of subsection (d) of this section, except for the following:

(1) Before considering any proposal to lease or purchase the hospital facility or part of a hospital facility, the municipality or hospital authority shall require information on charges, services, and indigent care at similar facilities leased, owned, or operated by the proposed lessee or buyer.

(2) The municipality or hospital authority shall declare its intent to approve any lease or sale in the manner authorized by this subsection at a regular or special meeting held on 10 days' public notice. Such notice shall state that copies of the lease, sale, or conveyance proposed for approval will be available 10 days prior to the regular or special meeting required by subdivision (3) of this subsection and that the lease, sale, or conveyance shall be considered for approval at a regular or special meeting not less than 10 days following the regular or special meeting required by this subsection. Notice shall be given by publication in one or more papers of general circulation in the affected area describing the intent to lease, sell, or convey the hospital facility involved and the potential buyer or lessee.

(3) Not less than 10 days following the regular or special meeting required by subdivision (2) of this subsection, the municipality or hospital authority shall approve any lease, sale, or conveyance by a resolution at a regular or special meeting.

(4) At least 10 days before the regular or special meeting at which any lease, sale, or conveyance is approved, the municipality or hospital authority shall make copies of the proposed contract available to the public.

(i) This section does not apply to a transaction that is part of an agreement between a municipality or hospital authority and the University of North Carolina Health Care System for the lease, sale, or conveyance of a hospital facility, or part of a hospital facility, to the University of North Carolina Health Care System. (1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1066, s. 1; 1997-233, s. 2; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 2000-140, s. 93.1(a); 2001-424, s. 12.2(b); 2015-288, s. 3; 2023-134, s. 4.10(j); 2023-137, s. 53(a).)