Specifies that the department of health and senior services shall not deny trauma center status to a hospital based on its distance from another trauma center

HB 984 prevents the Department of Health and Senior Services from refusing trauma center designation to hospitals solely based on their distance from other trauma centers. It directly affects hospitals seeking or maintaining Level I, II, or III trauma center status, ensuring geographic proximity isn't a barrier to approval. The bill requires the department to base designations on meeting clinical standards (like those from the American College of Surgeons) rather than location, while maintaining other requirements like site reviews or national verification. Hospitals must still meet evidence-based clinical criteria, but distance alone can no longer be used to deny their designation.