1. 1. Upon receipt of an application for a license to operate a facility, the department shall review the application, investigate the applicant and the statements sworn to in the application for license and conduct any necessary inspections. A license shall be issued if the following requirements are met:

   1. (1) The statements in the application are true and correct;
   2. (2) The facility and the operator are in substantial compliance with the provisions of sections 198.003 to 198.096 and the standards established thereunder;
   3. (3) The applicant has the financial capacity to operate the facility;
   4. (4) The administrator of a residential care facility II, a skilled nursing facility, or an intermediate care facility is currently licensed under the provisions of chapter 344, RSMo;
   5. (5) Neither the operator nor any principals in the operation of the facility have ever been convicted of a felony offense concerning the operation of a long-term health care facility or other health care facility or ever knowingly acted or knowingly failed to perform any duty which materially and adversely affected the health, safety, welfare or property of a resident, while acting in a management capacity. The operator of the facility or any principal in the operation of the facility shall not be under exclusion from participation in the title XVIII (Medicare) or title XIX (Medicaid) program of any state or territory;
   6. (6) Neither the operator nor any principals involved in the operation of the facility have ever been convicted of a felony in any state or federal court arising out of conduct involving either management of a long-term care facility or the provision or receipt of health care;
   7. (7) All fees due to the state have been paid.
2. 2. Upon denial of any application for a license, the department shall so notify the applicant in writing, setting forth therein the reasons and grounds for denial.
3. 3. The department may inspect any facility and any records and may make copies of records, at the facility, at the department's own expense, required to be maintained by sections 198.003 to 198.096 or by the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder at any time if a license has been issued to or an application for a license has been filed by the operator of such facility. The department shall make at least two inspections per year, at least one of which shall be unannounced to the operator. The department may make such other inspections, announced or unannounced, as it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of sections 198.003 to 198.136.
4. 4. Whenever the department has reasonable grounds to believe that a facility required to be licensed under sections 198.003 to 198.096 is operating without a license, and the department is not permitted access to inspect the facility, or when a licensed operator refuses to permit access to the department to inspect the facility, the department shall apply to the circuit court of the county in which the premises is located for an order authorizing entry for such inspection, and the court shall issue the order if it finds reasonable grounds for inspection or if it finds that a licensed operator has refused to permit the department access to inspect the facility.

(L. 1979 S.B. 328, et al. § 8, A.L. 1984 S.B. 451, A.L. 1988 S.B. 602, A.L. 1994 H.B. 1335 & 1381)