(a) (1) Each narcotic treatment program authorized to use narcotic replacement therapy in this state, except narcotic treatment research programs approved by the Research Advisory Panel, shall be licensed by the department.

(2) Each narcotic treatment program, other than a program owned and operated by the state, county, city, or city and county, shall, upon application for licensure and for renewal of a license, pay an annual license fee to the department. July 1 shall be the annual license renewal date.

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(3) The department shall set the licensing fee at a level sufficient to cover all departmental costs associated with licensing incurred by the department, but the fee shall not, except as specified in this section, increase at a rate greater than the Consumer Price Index. The fees shall include the department’s share of pro rata charges for the expenses of state government. The fee may be paid quarterly in arrears as determined by the department. Fees paid quarterly in arrears shall be due and payable on the last day of each quarter except for the fourth quarter for which payment shall be due and payable no later than May 31. A failure of a program to pay renewal license fees by the due date shall give rise to a civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100) a day for each day after the due date. Second and subsequent inspection visits to narcotic treatment programs that are operating in noncompliance with the applicable laws and regulations shall be charged a rate of one-half the program’s annual license fee or one thousand dollars ($1,000), whichever is less, for each visit.

(4) Licensing shall be contingent upon determination by the department that the program is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and upon payment of the licensing fee. A license shall not be transferable.

(5) (A) As used in this chapter, “quarter” means July, August, and September; October, November, and December; January, February, and March; and April, May, and June.

(B) As used in this chapter, “license” means a basic permit to operate a narcotic treatment program. The license shall be issued exclusively by the department and operated in accordance with a patient capacity that shall be specified, approved, and monitored solely by the department.

(b) Each narcotic treatment program, other than a program owned and operated by the state, county, city, or city and county, shall be charged an application fee that shall be at a level sufficient to cover all departmental costs incurred by the department in processing either an application for a new program license, or an application for an existing program that has moved to a new location.

(c) Any licensee that increases fees to the patient, in response to increases in licensure fees required by the department, shall first provide written disclosure to the patient of that amount of the patient fee increase that is attributable to the increase in the licensure fee. This provision shall not be construed to limit patient fee increases imposed by the licensee upon any other basis.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 22, Sec. 51. (AB 75) Effective June 27, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 110 of Ch. 22.)