Title X, Public Health

I. The commissioner, in imposing isolation and quarantine under RSA 141-C:11, in requiring treatment under RSA 141-C:15, or in excluding children under RSA 141-C:20-d, shall do so by written order. The order shall include, as appropriate, the following information: (a) The cause …

I. If, after an order is issued under RSA 141-C:12, any commodity, conveyance, cargo or baggage is not removed to the place of quarantine or is not decontaminated or is brought near any dwelling house, facility, or housing providing services to people, or near any place of busine…

If any person shall, without permission of the commissioner, his designee, or a health officer acting on the request of the commissioner, enter a place of isolation or quarantine, board a conveyance under quarantine, enter the limits of a place designated for the decontamination …

I. Any person subject to an order for submission of a specimen, or for examination, immunization, treatment, isolation, quarantine, provision of information, inspection of a building or conveyance, or any other order of the commissioner under this chapter or RSA 21-P:53, may requ…

I. Any person infected with a communicable disease, or reasonably suspected of being infected with a communicable disease, and whose continued presence among the citizenry poses a significant threat to health and life, shall be ordered by the commissioner under RSA 141-C:11, to r…

I. Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 326-B:2, I-a, and RSA 329:1-c, a health care professional authorized to prescribe prescription medication for the treatment or prevention of a communicable disease may prescribe, dispense, or distribute directly or by standing order, drugs…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the commissioner to restrict in any manner a person's right to select the mode of treatment of his choice, or to refuse treatment, when treatment is ordered by the commissioner under RSA 141-C:15, I, or to request any physic…

I. The commissioner, with the written approval of the governor, may close, direct, and compel the evacuation and decontamination of any building located within the state that is accessible to the public, such as businesses, primary and secondary schools, and universities, regardl…

The commissioner, with the written approval of the governor, may order the cancellation of public gatherings and events within the state, or in specific geographic areas of the state, as is deemed necessary to prevent an imminent danger to the public health. Notice of any order c…

The commissioner may purchase and distribute anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics and other pharmaceutical agents which the commissioner deems advisable to prevent, prepare for, or respond to an outbreak of communicable disease or other serious threat to …

There is hereby established a vaccine purchase fund for the purchase of antitoxins, serums, vaccines and immunizing agents, which are to be provided to the public at no cost except for the actual cost of administering such agents, under RSA 141-C:17. Any funds provided to the dep…

If there is a statewide or regional shortage or threatened shortage of any anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents, or mechanical equipment, and such shortage poses a serious threat to the public health, the commissioner, wit…

Items taken by the commissioner pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the compensation provisions of RSA 4:46, but in no event shall the owner thereof be entitled to more than the Medicaid rate for the item that was in effect at the time of the taking. No…

I. The commissioner may request the examination, and order isolation, quarantine, and treatment of any person reasonably suspected of having been exposed to or of exposing another person or persons to a sexually transmitted disease. Any order of treatment issued under this paragr…

I. The commissioner shall make available laboratory tests for the early detection and control of communicable diseases such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome, rubella, herpes virus, legionnaire's disease, eastern equine encephalitis, viral hepatitis, chlamydia, rabies, rotav…

In this chapter: I. "Agent" means any individual authorized by the commissioner to assist in carrying out the provisions of this chapter. II. "Baggage" means the personal belongings of travelers. Such personal belongings need not be in the personal possession of the traveler. III…

The commissioner or his designee shall prepare and distribute such current public information materials relative to the cause, prevention, and treatment of the various communicable diseases and relative to rules adopted under this chapter as may best instruct health care provider…

I. All parents or legal guardians shall have their children, who are residing in this state, immunized against diphtheria, mumps, pertussis, poliomyelitis, rubella, rubeola, tetanus, varicella, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib). II. No child shall be admitted o…

I. Any person who immunizes a child shall complete a form to be supplied by the commissioner and shall give the completed form to the parent or legal guardian. II. Schools and child care agencies shall keep immunization records for all enrolled children. Such records shall be ava…

A child shall be exempt from immunization if: I. A physician licensed under RSA 329, or a physician exempted under RSA 329:21, III, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under RSA 326-B, or a physician associate licensed under RSA 328-D certifies that immunization agains…

During an outbreak of a communicable disease for which immunization is required under RSA 141-C:20-a, children exempted under RSA 141-C:20-c shall not attend the school or child care agency threatened by the communicable disease. The commissioner shall prepare a written order as …

Schools and child care agencies, whether public or private, shall make an annual report to the commissioner relative to the status of immunization of all enrolled children.

I. The department shall establish and maintain a state immunization registry. The registry shall be a single repository of accurate, complete and current immunization records to aid, coordinate, and promote effective and cost-efficient disease prevention and control efforts. II. …

I. Any printed or electronic materials relative to required childhood immunizations in RSA 141-C:20-a produced by the department of health and human services and distributed in connection with school and child care enrollment on or after the effective date of this section shall i…

Any person who shall violate, disobey, refuse, omit or neglect to comply with any of the provisions of RSA 141-C, or of the rules adopted pursuant to it, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor if a natural person, or guilty of a felony if any other person.

Any natural person selling or disposing of any pharmaceutical agents purchased or distributed under RSA 141-C:17 for personal gain shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any other person shall be guilty of a felony.

A civil action may be instituted in superior court on behalf of the department for injunctive relief to prevent the violation of the provisions of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter. The court may proceed in the action in a summary manner or otherwise and may enjoin…

Contiguous municipalities may establish mosquito control districts for the purposes of applying for moneys from the mosquito control fund established in RSA 141-C:25 and for the purposes of applying for spraying permits. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of …

The commissioner, with the written approval of the governor, may establish, operate, or authorize the operation of temporary acute care centers for the purpose of the delivery of acute medical services to persons who would normally require admission to an acute care hospital, whe…

I. There is hereby established an ethics oversight advisory committee to offer advice to the commissioner relative to the ethical issues that may be identified in the course of planning for, and responding to, outbreaks of communicable disease that threaten to become epidemic or …

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit or restrict the exercise of the governor's emergency management powers under RSA 4:45-RSA 4:47.

The department shall: I. Identify, investigate, and test for communicable diseases posing a threat to the citizens of the state and its visitors. II. Educate the general public, persons who provide health services to the public, and those persons responsible for the health and we…

The commissioner shall: I. Identify communicable diseases to be reported to the department under RSA 141-C:8. II. Investigate outbreaks of communicable diseases under RSA 141-C:9. III. Establish, maintain, and suspend isolation and quarantine to prevent the spread of communicable…

Health officers shall: I. Assist the commissioner, when requested to do so, in the establishment and maintenance of isolation and quarantine in their respective cities and towns, and enforce all rules adopted by the commissioner relative to isolation and quarantine. II. Attend me…

The commissioner shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to: I. Identifying communicable diseases to be reported under RSA 141-C:8. II. The design and content of all forms required under this chapter including forms for reporting communicable diseases under RSA 141-C:8…

I. Upon becoming aware of any communicable disease or communicable disease syndrome listed under RSA 141-C:8, any health care provider, clinical laboratory director, the superintendent or other person in charge of any hospital, or other health care facility, or any other person h…

The commissioner shall compile a list of reportable communicable diseases necessary to protect the citizenry. The commissioner shall develop and provide a form for the reporting of communicable diseases under this section. The form shall include, at a minimum, the name, age, addr…

I. The commissioner or designee may investigate incidents of communicable diseases. Such investigations shall include, but not be limited to, requiring additional information and periodic reports from the reporting official, interviews with reporting officials, their patients, an…