(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act, the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, on behalf of any facility operated by the commissioner and established by the state for the care of veterans, may apply to the Department of Public Health for: (1) A license for a chronic and convalescent nursing home, as defined in § 19a-521; (2) a license for a rest home with nursing supervision, as defined in § 19a-521; or (3) a license for an assisted living services agency, as defined in § 19a-490.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act, in the event the commissioner applies for a license under subsection (a) of this section, the Department of Veterans Affairs may retain the chronic disease hospital license for the Healthcare Center.

(c) The Department of Public Health shall process an application for any license submitted under subsection (a) of this section in an expedited manner.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 319y and the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, any Department of Veterans Affairs project undertaken pursuant to a license application as provided in subsection (a) of this section shall not be subject to certificate of need application and approval requirements applicable to nursing home services, including beds, additions and capital expenditures.

(e) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act, any Department of Veterans Affairs project undertaken pursuant to a license application as provided in subsection (a) of this section shall be exempt from the requirements for approval of a request or application provided for in § 19a-638.