The general assembly finds and declares that:

(1)  Rhode Island has a proud history of nonprofit hospitals and philanthropic support of medical services, education and research;

(2)  Hospitals in Rhode Island provide overall high quality care at a reasonable cost;

(3)  Hospitals in Rhode Island have experienced substantial declines in occupancy as the healthcare system has changed.

(4)  Hospitals require capital to maintain operations and to modernize facilities and services;

(5)  Nationally and regionally private investment is being made that results in the conversion of not-for-profit and public hospitals into for-profit hospitals;

(6)  There are hospitals in Rhode Island that have provided and continue to provide important services to communities that submit that their survival may depend on the ability to enter into agreements that result in the investment of private capital and their conversion to for-profit status;

(7)  Hospitals both not-for-profit and for-profit are merging and forming networks to achieve integration, stability and efficiency and the presence of these networks affects competition;

(8)  There are concerns that hospital networks may engage in practices that affect the quality medical services in the community as a whole and for more vulnerable members of society in particular;

(9)  In order to protect public health and welfare and public and charitable assets, it is necessary to establish standards and procedures for hospital conversions.