NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1965 SESSION

CHAPTER 258
HOUSE BILL 235

AN ACT RELATING TO THE DISCHARGE OF PATIENTS FROM HOSPITALS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1.  Whenever, in the opinion of the superintendent or administrator of any hospital in this State, and in the opinion of two physicians authorized to practice medicine in this State, any patient should be discharged therefrom as cured, or as no longer needing treatment, or for the reason that treatment cannot benefit his case, or for other good and sufficient reasons, said superintendent or administrator may discharge said patient.
If, upon the discharge of any patient from the hospital, it shall appear to the superintendent or administrator thereof that said patient, upon his discharge, is not financially able to provide himself with transportation to his home or other place to which he may be discharged, said superintendent or administrator, if so empowered by the hospital, may authorize the payment of such transportation on behalf of said patient.
If upon discharge, as described above, and upon tender of transportation or payment therefor under the circumstances authorized above, said patient shall refuse or fail to leave the hospital after being so directed by the superintendent or administrator, such refusal shall constitute a trespass and the patient shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), or imprisoned not more than thirty (30) days.
Sec. 2.  All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.
Sec. 3.  This Act shall be in full force and effect upon its ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 15th day of April, 1965.