(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, effective July 1, 2022:

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 16-2D-16a

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Authority: means the West Virginia Health Care Authority as provided in §. See West Virginia Code 16-2D-2
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Records: means accounts, books and other data related to health service costs at health care facilities subject to the provisions of this article which do not include privileged medical information, individual personal data, confidential information, the disclosure of which is prohibited by other provisions of this code and the laws enacted by the federal government, and information, the disclosure of which would be an invasion of privacy. See West Virginia Code 16-2D-2

(1) The Office of Judges may not review a decision of the authority, issued after June 30, 2022, in a certificate of need review. On or before September 30, 2022, the Office of Judges shall issue a final decision in, or otherwise dispose of, each and every appeal, pending before the Office of Judges, of a decision by the authority in a certificate of need review.

(2) An appeal of a final decision in a certificate of need review, issued by the authority after June 30, 2022, shall be made to the West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals, pursuant to the provisions governing the judicial review of contested administrative cases in § 29A-5-1 et seq. of this code.

(b) If the Office of Judges does not issue a final decision or otherwise dispose of any appeal of a decision of the authority in a certificate of need review on or before September 30, 2022, the appeal shall be transferred to the Intermediate Court of Appeals, as provided in § 29A-5-4 of this code. For any appeal transferred pursuant to this subsection, the Intermediate Court of Appeals shall adopt any existing records of evidence and proceedings in the Office of Judges, conduct further proceedings as it considers necessary, and issue a final decision or otherwise dispose of the case pursuant to the provisions governing the judicial review of contested administrative cases in § 29A-5-1 et seq. of this code.