The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, Hollywood, Florida. |

Gov. Rick Scott won the first round in a legal tug-of-war over his mandate that nursing homes and assisted living facilities install generators.

The First District Court of Appeal on Thursday rejected a legal challenge to emergency rules put in place by the Scott administration. A panel of judges split 2-1 on the challenge but did not issue a full opinion explaining the decision.

Groups representing nursing homes and assisted living facilities asked the appellate court to review whether there was an emergency that warranted the rules. A separate legal challenge to the rules themselves is still ongoing.

Scott issued his order after residents of the 152-bed Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died in the days after Hurricane Irma killed power to much of South Florida. Fourteen deaths have been blamed on the outage. Relatives of some patients have sued. (Associated Press)

The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, Hollywood, Florida. |

Gov. Rick Scott won the first round in a legal tug-of-war over his mandate that nursing homes and assisted living facilities install generators.

The First District Court of Appeal on Thursday rejected a legal challenge to emergency rules put in place by the Scott administration. A panel of judges split 2-1 on the challenge but did not issue a full opinion explaining the decision.

Groups representing nursing homes and assisted living facilities asked the appellate court to review whether there was an emergency that warranted the rules. A separate legal challenge to the rules themselves is still ongoing.

Scott issued his order after residents of the 152-bed Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died in the days after Hurricane Irma killed power to much of South Florida. Fourteen deaths have been blamed on the outage. Relatives of some patients have sued. (Associated Press)