Sec. 5. (a) A hospital that is a party to a merger agreement for at least five (5) years that was issued a certificate of public advantage by the state department under this chapter may voluntarily terminate the certificate of public advantage by filing notice of termination with the state department in a manner prescribed by the state department at least thirty (30) days before the hospital's requested date of termination of the certificate.
(b) The state department shall grant a properly filed notice of termination request made by a hospital under this section.