Relating to exempting a neighborhood hospital from certificate of need

This bill would exempt neighborhood hospitals, ambulatory health care facilities, and ambulatory surgical facilities from West Virginia's certificate of need (CON) approval process. It directly affects these specific healthcare providers by removing a state requirement that previously mandated prior approval for expansions, new services, or facility changes. The key mechanism is amending state law to define "neighborhood hospital" and explicitly exclude related activities from the CON review process. This change aims to streamline operations for smaller, outpatient-focused facilities without requiring state permission for certain capital projects or service expansions. The bill does not alter healthcare access or funding but reduces regulatory barriers for these specific types of facilities.