Ala. Code § 22-4-13
Upon the adoption of federal regulations pursuant to Title XVI of the Public Health Service Act, the State Board of Health is hereby authorized and required to prepare, review and revise, at least annually, with such interim revisions as may become necessary, a Medical Facilities Plan, which shall include all health care facilities defined in Section 22-4-2, shall divide the State of Alabama into health service areas and, based on population and health facility utilization statistics and such other criteria as the State Board of Health may direct, set forth the need for health care facilities in such numbers and locations that all citizens of the state shall have access to an integrated and interrelated system of health care. The State Medical Facilities Plan shall consider the medical facilities plans of the health systems agencies and shall be submitted to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council for approval or disapproval as consistent with the State Health Plan. The State Medical Facilities Plan shall be the basic review document for the certificate of need program; provided, that the State Board of Health shall be empowered and authorized to prepare, review, adopt and revise, as necessary, a State Medical Facilities Plan pursuant to Title VI of the Public Health Service Act with the advice and consultation of the Statewide Health Coordinating Council, to be used as an interim review document for the certificate of need program, until such time as Title XVI of the Public Health Service Act is implemented and federal regulations are adopted pursuant thereto.
Ala. Code § 22-4-13 (1975)