(1) Beginning July 23, 2004, and notwithstanding any other provision of this act, the department shall issue an initial license not later than 90 days after the applicant files a completed application and shall issue a renewal license not later than 120 days after the applicant files a completed application. Receipt of the application is considered the date the application is received by an agency or department of this state. If the application is considered incomplete by the department, the department shall notify the applicant in writing, or make the information electronically available, within 30 days after receipt of the incomplete application, describing the deficiency and requesting the additional information. The period regarding license issuance and renewal is tolled upon notification by the department of a deficiency until the date the requested information is received by the department. The determination of the completeness of an application is not an approval of the application for the license and does not confer eligibility upon an applicant determined otherwise ineligible for issuance of a license.

    (2) If the department fails to issue or deny a license within the time required by this section to an establishment that is otherwise ready to operate and is prevented from operating, the department shall return the license fee and shall reduce the license fee for the applicant’s next renewal application, if any, by 15%. The failure to issue a license within the time required under this section does not allow the department to otherwise delay the processing of the application, and that application, upon completion, must be placed in sequence with other completed applications received at that same time. The department shall not discriminate against an applicant in the processing of the application based upon the fact that the license fee was refunded or discounted under this subsection.

    (3) As used in this section, “completed application” means an application complete on its face and submitted with any applicable licensing fees as well as any other information, records, approval, security, or similar item required by law or rule from a local unit of government, a federal agency, or a private entity but not from another department or agency of this state. In the case of an initial application, completed application includes the completion of construction or renovation of any facility and the passing of a satisfactory evaluation.