Title 31 — Title 31
0 chapters · 651 sections in this title.
O.C.G.A. § 31-18-4 Duties of commission
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(a) The Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission, which is administratively assigned to the Department of Public Health, shall establish procedures whereby a person with a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury for whom a report is made pursuant to this chapter shall be infor…
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-1 Responsibility for control
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Each county board of health shall have primary responsibility for the control of rabies within its jurisdiction. Such boards, in addition to their other powers, are empowered and required to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the prevention and control of such disease…
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-10 Penalty
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Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. History. — Ga. L. 1945, p. 448, § 11; Code 1933, § 88-1507, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1.
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-2 Powers of department in infected area
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The department may declare any county or any area therein or any group of counties or areas therein where rabies exists to be an infected area and may provide for immunization and such other measures as shall be indicated for the prevention and control of the disease. History. — …
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-3 Licensing and regulation of animals by local authorities
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The governing authorities of each county and municipality are authorized and required, in the control of rabies, to require regulation or licensing of animals. History. — Code 1933, § 88-1503, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1; Ga. L. 1969, p. 834, § 2. 778 31-19-6
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-4 Duty of notification
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It shall be the duty of any person bitten by any animal reasonably suspected of being rabid immediately to notify the appropriate county board of health. It shall be the duty of the owner, custodian, or person having possession and knowledge of any animal which has bitten any per…
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-5 Inoculation of canines and felines against rabies
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The county boards of health are empowered and required to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations requiring canines and felines to be inoculated against rabies and to prescribe the intervals and means of inoculation, the fees to be paid in county sponsored clinics, that proced…
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-6 Certificates of inoculation; tags
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Reserved. Repealed by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2089, § 2, effective July 1, 1992. Editor’s notes. — This Code section was based on Ga. L. 1945, p. 448, § 4; Code 1933, § 88-1506, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1; Ga. L. 1969, p. 834, § 4. 779 31-19-9 31-19-7. County rabies control offi…
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-7 County rabies control officer
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(a) The county board of health shall appoint a person who is knowledgeable of animals to be the county rabies control officer. It shall be the duty of the county rabies control officer to enforce this chapter and other laws which regulate the activities of dogs. (b) The county go…
O.C.G.A. § 31-19-8 Joint administration of chapter by adjoining counties
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The governing authority of each county may devise and implement plans whereby this chapter, as amended, is administered jointly with one or more adjoining counties. History. — Code 1933, § 88-1506.2, enacted by Ga. L. 1969, p. 834, § 6. 31-19-9. Applicability to municipalities wi…
O.C.G.A. § 31-20-1 Definitions
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As used in this chapter, the term: (1) ‘‘Accredited hospital’’ means a hospital licensed by the Department of Community Health and accredited by a nationally recognized health care accreditation body. (2) ‘‘Physician’’ means a person duly licensed to practice medicine and surgery…
O.C.G.A. § 31-20-2 Performance of sterilization procedure upon request
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It shall be lawful for any physician to perform a sterilization procedure upon a person 18 years of age or over, or less than 18 years of age if legally married, provided that a request in writing is made by such person and provided, further, that prior to or at the time of such …
O.C.G.A. § 31-20-3 Sterilization of mentally incompetent persons
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(a) Declaration of policy. The General Assembly finds that the present laws of this state provide no means for the performance of sterilization procedures upon persons who, because of a developmental disability, brain damage, or both, are irreversibly and incurably mentally incom…
O.C.G.A. § 31-20-4 Definitions
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Performance of sterilization procedure upon request. Sterilization of mentally incompetent persons. Restriction on performance of sterilization procedure. Sec. 31-20-5. 31-20-6. Civil and criminal liability; compliance where other medical treatment may result in sterilization. Ex…
O.C.G.A. § 31-20-6 Exemptions from requirements of chapter
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(a) Nothing in this chapter shall require a hospital to admit any patient for the purpose of performing a sterilization procedure, nor shall any hospital be required to appoint a committee such as contemplated under paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of Code Section 31-20-3. (b) A p…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-1 Approved disinfectant; ‘‘embalming’’ defined
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(a) An approved disinfectant fluid shall contain not less than 5 percent formaldehyde gas. (b) As used in this chapter, the term ‘‘embalming’’ means the injection by a licensed embalmer of not less than 10 percent of the weight for bodies of persons dead of communicable diseases,…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-2 Conflict with authority of Commissioner of Agriculture
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Nothing in this article shall repeal or be construed to conflict with any power and authority now vested in the Commissioner of Agriculture by the laws of this state. History. — Code 1933, § 88-2714, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1. 792 31-21-3 31-21-3. Death of person with i…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-20 Board for the Distribution of Cadavers
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The academic deans of medical, osteopathic medical, and dental colleges or a representative appointed by the president of such schools incorporated under the laws of this state or otherwise operating in this state with authorization from the Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Comm…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-21 Delivery to board of certain unclaimed bodies
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(a) All public officers of this state and their assistants and all officers and their deputies of every county, city, town, or other municipality and of every prison, county correctional institution, morgue, public hospital, health care facility, except the Central State Hospital…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-22 Approved disinfectant; ‘‘embalming’’ defined
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Conflict with authority of Commissioner of Agriculture. Death of person with infectious or communicable disease; required reporting procedures; confidentiality; disclosure; penalties. Burial at sea of cremated remains; notification that cremated remains are ready for interment; u…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-23 Distribution of bodies by board
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The board for distribution or its duly authorized agent may distribute bodies received pursuant to Code Section 31-21-21 to and among the schools or colleges described in Code Section 31-21-20 for lectures and demonstrations by such schools or colleges. The number assigned to eac…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-24 Transportation of bodies
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The board for distribution may employ a carrier or carriers for the conveyance of bodies described in Code Section 31-21-21, which bodies shall be well enclosed in suitable incasements and carefully deposited free from public observation. The carrier or carriers shall obtain rece…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-25 Bonds
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No school or college shall be allowed or permitted to receive any body or bodies described in Code Section 31-21-21 until a bond shall have been given to the Department of Community Health by or in behalf of the school or college by its authorized officers, to be approved by the …
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-26 Payment of expenses
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Neither the state, county, municipality, nor officers thereof shall be placed at any expense by reason of delivery or distribution of bodies; but all expenses thereof shall be borne by those receiving the body or bodies as prescribed by the board for distribution. 806 History. — …
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-40 Omission to perform duties imposed by chapter
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Any person having duties imposed upon him by Code Sections 31-21-20 through 31-21-24 who shall refuse or omit to perform such duties shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. History. — Ga. L. 1887, p. 87, § 9; Penal Code 1895, § 416; Penal Code 1910, § 409; Code 1933, § 88-9920; Code 19…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-41 Traffic in human bodies
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Any person who shall sell or buy any dead human body or bodies or in any way traffic therein or transmit or convey, or procure the transmission or conveyance of any dead human body or bodies to any place outside of this state for purposes of sale or dissection, shall be punished …
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-42 Disinterment by coroner without good grounds
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If any person makes affidavit to facts to authorize the coroner to disinter a body or the coroner does so of his own motion and such affidavit is made or disinterment carried out without good grounds or from malice or mischief, the person so swearing or the coroner so officiating…
O.C.G.A. § 31-21-44.1 Abuse of dead body
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(a)(1) A person commits the offense of abuse of a dead body if, prior to interment and except as otherwise authorized by law, such person 810 31-21-44.1 DEAD BODIES 31-21-44.2 willfully defaces a dead body while the dead body is lying in state or is prepared for burial, showing, …
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-1 Definitions
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As used in this chapter, the term: (1) ‘‘Board’’ means the Board of Community Health. (2) ‘‘Clinical laboratory’’ means a facility for the biological, microbiological, serological, chemical, immunohematological, hematological, biophysical, cytological, pathological, or other exam…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-11 Effect of this chapter on Chapter 34 of Title 43
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Nothing contained in this chapter shall be deemed or construed as affecting or repealing Chapter 34 of Title 43. 829 31-22-13 History. — Ga. L. 1972, p. 1257, § 6. 31-22-12. Injunction of operation of unlicensed clinical laboratories.
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-12 Injunction of operation of unlicensed clinical laboratories
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The operation or maintenance of an unlicensed clinical laboratory in violation of this chapter is declared a nuisance, inimical to the public health, welfare, and safety. The commissioner in the name of the people of the state through the Attorney General may, in addition to othe…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-13 Penalty
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Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any of the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. History. — Ga. L. 1970, p. 531, § 9. 830 T.31, C.23 EYE BANKS 31-23-1 CHAPTER 23 EYE BANKS Sec. 31-23-1. 31-23-2. 31-23-3. 31-2…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-2 Licenses
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(a) No clinical laboratory shall be operated without a license issued and in force pursuant to this chapter; provided, however, that the department may promulgate rules and regulations by which a facility or a part of a facility in which laboratory testing is done may qualify for…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-4 Examination of human specimens
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(a) A clinical laboratory shall examine human specimens only at the request of a licensed physician, dentist, or other person authorized by law to use the findings of laboratory examinations. (b) All specimens accepted by a clinical laboratory shall be tested on the premises or i…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-7 Reports to department
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(a) The department shall require reporting by clinical laboratories of evidence of such infectious diseases as the department may specify and shall furnish forms for such reporting. No clinical laboratory making reports shall be held liable for having violated a trust or confiden…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-8 Inspections; evaluation program
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(a) The department shall make periodic inspections of every clinical laboratory, at its discretion. In lieu of or to supplement its own inspection program, the department may use results of inspections conducted by other accrediting agencies. For the purpose of this subsection, t…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-9 Applicability of chapter
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(a) This chapter shall not apply to clinical laboratories which are: (1) Operated by the Georgia Health Sciences University, the Emory University School of Medicine, any other medical schools in Georgia, or the United States government; (2) Operated and maintained exclusively for…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-9.1 HIV tests — Who may perform test
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(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘AIDS’’ means Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS Related Complex within the reporting criteria of the department. (2) ‘‘AIDS confidential information’’ means information which discloses that a person: (A) Has been diagnosed…
O.C.G.A. § 31-22-9.2 Law reviews
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— For article on the 2011 amendment of this Code section, see 28 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 147 (2011). 31-17-5. Prophylactic treatment at childbirth.
O.C.G.A. § 31-23-1 Definitions
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As used in this chapter, the term: (1) ‘‘Department’’ means the Department of Community Health. (2) ‘‘Eye bank’’ means a nonprofit facility which is maintained and operated for the extraction, removal, care, storage, preservation, and use of human eyes or parts thereof for purpos…
O.C.G.A. § 31-23-4 Powers of department
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The department is empowered to approve or disapprove the establishment of an eye bank by any group desiring to establish one in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the department; to exercise such control, inspection, and supervision of established eye banks as the d…
O.C.G.A. § 31-23-6 Removal of eye or corneal tissue
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Reserved. Repealed by Ga. L. 2008, p. 503, § 3/SB 405, effective July 1, 2008. Editor’s notes. — This Code section was based on Code 1933, § 88-2010, enacted by Ga. L. 1978, p. 811, § 1; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1328, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 611, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 31; Ga. L. 1991, p.…
O.C.G.A. § 31-23-7 Liability of donor or donor’s estate
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In no event shall any donor or donor’s estate incur any liability for any expense connected with or resulting from the donation, extraction, removal, care, preservation, storage, or use of such donor’s eyes or parts thereof. 833 31-23-9 History. — Ga. L. 1961, p. 582, § 6; Code 1…
O.C.G.A. § 31-23-9 Penalty
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(a) It shall be unlawful: (1) For any person to sell either his eyes or any parts thereof or the eyes or any parts thereof of another person or to receive any remuneration for the giving of a human eye or any part thereof; (2) For the person or persons operating and maintaining a…
O.C.G.A. § 31-24-1 Short title
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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as ‘‘The Blood Labeling Act.’’ History. — Ga. L. 1976, p. 353, § 1. 31-24-2. Definitions.
O.C.G.A. § 31-24-2 Definitions
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As used in this chapter, the term: (1) ‘‘Blood’’ means whole human blood, packed red blood cells, blood platelets, concentrated leucocytes, and blood plasma. It does not include blood derivatives manufactured or processed for industrial use. (2) ‘‘Donation’’ means any transaction…
O.C.G.A. § 31-24-3 Requirement of qualification of blood donors
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No blood may be withdrawn from any individual in this state for transfusion or industrial uses unless he qualifies to be a blood donor under the laws of this state. History. — Ga. L. 1976, p. 353, § 3.
O.C.G.A. § 31-24-4 Labeling of containers of blood
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(a) Every person who withdraws blood from an individual or separates blood into components by physical processes shall affix to each container of such blood or components a label in a form specified by the Department of Public Health which shall include an indication of whether t…
O.C.G.A. § 31-24-7 Administration of chapter
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The department shall administer this chapter as a part of and using the procedures of Chapter 22 of this title. History. — Ga. L. 1976, p. 353, § 7. 31-24-8. Penalty.
O.C.G.A. § 31-24-8 Penalty
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Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. History. — Ga. L. 1976, p. 353, § 8.