198.105.  Petition for appointment of receiver, contents — hearing — appointment of receiver. — 1.  Any petition for appointment of a receiver shall be verified and shall be accompanied by an affidavit or affidavits setting forth material facts showing there exists one or more of the conditions specified in section 198.099.  The petition shall be filed in the circuit court of Cole County or in the county where the facility is located.  If the petition is not filed by the attorney general, a copy of the petition shall be served upon the department and upon the attorney general.  The court shall hold a hearing on the petition within five days of the filing of the petition and determine the matter within fifteen days of the initial hearing.  The petition and notice of the hearing shall be served on the operator or administrator of the facility or, if personal service is impossible, shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the facility not later than three days before the time specified for the hearing, unless a different period is fixed by order of the court.

  2.  The court shall appoint a person, selected in accordance with the provisions of this subsection and the rules promulgated pursuant to this section, to act as receiver if it finds that any ground exists which would authorize the appointment of a receiver under section 198.099 and that appointment of a receiver will contribute to the continuity of care or the orderly and safe transfer of residents in the facility.  The department shall, within six months of August 28, 2003, promulgate rules to establish guidelines for the determination of qualified receivers, procedures for maintaining the list of qualified receivers that requested in writing to act as a receiver, and the selection or removal of such receivers.  Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028.  This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2003, shall be invalid and void.

  3.  The director of the department shall maintain a list of persons who have submitted a written request in accordance with the provisions of this subsection and the rules promulgated by the department to act as receiver pursuant to section 198.099.  When a petition is filed seeking the appointment of a receiver, the director of the department shall select the first name on the list.  The director of the department shall inform such person of his or her selection, the name of the facility, and the grounds for seeking receivership of such facility.  Such person may elect not to be appointed, in which case the director of the department shall choose the next consecutive name on the list, continuing until a person has agreed to serve as the receiver.  The director shall provide the name of the person selected and agreeing to serve as the receiver to the judge of the court wherein the petition for receivership is filed.  For each additional petition filed seeking the appointment of a receiver, names shall be chosen from the list in consecutive order beginning with the next name that follows the last name chosen.  If none of the persons on the list agree to serve as the receiver, the court shall appoint a person determined by the court to be qualified to act as receiver.