50-5-115. Receiverships. (1) If receivership has not already been instituted under medicaid or medicare, upon notice to the facility, the department may file a complaint in district court for receivership under any of the following conditions in addition to applicable conditions listed in 27-20-102:

(a) a facility is operating without a license and residents are in danger of serious physical or mental harm;

(b) a facility intending to close has not made arrangements within 30 days before closure for the orderly transfer of residents;

(c) a facility is abandoned by an owner; or

(d) a life threatening situation exists for the residents of the facility.

(2) If the department believes or has received notice from the department of justice that there is an emergency that presents or might present an immediate and serious threat to the health or safety of patients or residents of a facility, a receiver may be appointed by the court upon an ex parte application by the department. If a receiver is appointed upon an ex parte application, notice must be given by the department to the facility within 24 hours of issuance of the receivership order and a hearing must be offered the facility by the court within 10 days of issuance of the order to determine whether the order will be continued.

(3) The department shall maintain a list of persons qualified to act as receivers.

(4) The selection, appointment, and removal of receivers must be consistent with Title 27, chapter 20, parts 2 and 3.

(5) Whenever possible, receivers must be paid from the income of the facility. However, receivers may be paid from the patient protection account provided for in 50-5-232. The court shall direct the amount of payments to be made to the receiver, the payments to be made by the receiver, and the order of payments made to the receiver or to other entities. Payments owed to a facility that are made to the receiver must be used to discharge any obligation of the entity making the payments owed to the facility.

(6) The powers and duties of the receiver include:

(a) the duty to protect the health, welfare, and safety of the residents;

(b) the power to hire, discipline, and fire staff;

(c) the power to collect debts due to the facility;

(d) the power to settle labor disputes;

(e) the power to petition the court to set aside unreasonable contracts or leases entered into by the facility management;

(f) the power to make capital investments in the facility with court approval; and

(g) all other powers granted receivers by 27-20-302.