Title X, Public Health

I. When a patient lacks capacity to make health care decisions, the attending practitioner shall make a reasonable inquiry pursuant to 137-J:7 as to whether the patient has a valid durable power of attorney for health care and, to the extent that the patient has designated an age…

I. Where there are multiple surrogate decision-makers at the same priority level in the hierarchy, it shall be the responsibility of those surrogates to make reasonable efforts to reach a consensus as to their decision on behalf of the patient regarding any health care decision. …

I. A surrogate shall not be identified over the express objection of the patient, and a surrogacy shall terminate if at any time a patient for whom a surrogate has been appointed expresses objection to the continuation of the surrogacy. II. No attending practitioner shall be requ…

If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid for any reason, such invalidity shall not affect any other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, …

The commissioner shall monitor the morbidity and mortality of brain and spinal cord injuries.

Nothing in this chapter shall require the department to: I. Prescribe the form or content of a POLST; II. Disseminate forms to be used for a POLST; III. Educate the public about POLSTs; or IV. Train health care providers about POLSTs.

I. Subject to the provisions of this chapter and any express limitations set forth by the principal in a durable power of attorney for health care, the agent or surrogate shall have the authority to make any and all health care decisions on the principal's behalf that the princip…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require an individual to have a POLST or to require a health professional to authorize or execute a POLST. A POLST may be revoked at any time by the patient.

After consultation with the attending practitioner and other health care providers, the agent or surrogate shall make health care decisions in accordance with the agent's or surrogate's knowledge of the principal's wishes and religious or moral beliefs, as stated orally, in writi…

I. A qualified patient's attending practitioner, or a qualified patient's health care provider or residential care provider, and employees thereof, shall follow, as applicable, the directives of a qualified patient's designated agent or surrogate to the extent they are consistent…

Except as provided in RSA 137-L:3, all information collected or developed by the POLST registry that identifies or could be used to identify a patient, or health care provider or facility shall be confidential and shall not be subject to civil or administrative subpoena or to dis…

A person may not exercise the authority of an agent or a surrogate while serving in one of the following capacities: I. The principal's attending practitioner or a person acting under the direct authority of the attending practitioner. II. A nonrelative of the principal who is an…

Any person reporting information to the POLST registry or acting on information obtained from the POLST registry in good faith shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the reporting of information to the POLS…

I. Health care providers, residential care providers, and persons acting for such providers or under their control, shall be authorized to; (a) Communicate to an agent or surrogate any medical information about the principal, if the principal lacks the capacity to make health car…

There shall be established by the department a brain injury support program in partnership with family and survivor-directed statewide brain injury organizations dedicated to brain injury in children and adults, who often do not qualify for Medicaid services. Core brain injury su…

Whereas the use of certain chemical and physical agents can be instrumental in the improvement of health, welfare, and productivity of the public if properly utilized, or may impair the industrial and agricultural potentials of this state and adversely affect the well-being of th…

It is the purpose of this chapter to implement the policies set forth in RSA 140:1 by providing for: I. Effective consultative service relative to the use of chemical or physical agents for the protection of the occupational and public health and safety. II. Promotion of an order…

In this chapter: I. "Chemical agent" means any element, molecule, compound, or mixture to which persons may be exposed through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption and which, at sufficiently high concentrations, may produce adverse effects. II. "Commissioner" means the commission…

The commissioner shall, for the protection of the occupational and public health and safety: I. Develop and conduct comprehensive policies and programs for evaluation of hazards associated with the use of chemical or physical agents and for their amelioration. II. Develop and con…

I. Every physician in this state attending a patient whom he believes to be suffering from poison from lead, phosphorus, arsenic, brass, wood alcohol, mercury, or their compounds, or from anthrax, compressed air illness, or any other ailment or disease contracted as a result of t…

The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to: I. Any information required on the reports under RSA 140:5, I. II. Form and content of the blanks for the reports under RSA 140:5, II. III. The fee schedule unde…

The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall transmit a copy of all reports prepared pursuant to RSA 140:5 to the commissioner of labor.

This chapter shall not be construed as repealing any laws of the state relating to chemical or physical agents or exposures to them but shall be held and construed as auxiliary and supplementary to them, except to the extent that they are in direct conflict with this chapter, in …

Any person who does not comply with any of the provisions of RSA 140 or with the rules adopted by the commissioner of the department of health and human services under RSA 140 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor if a natural person, or guilty of a felony if any other person.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "chronic disease prevention, assessment and control act."

The department of health and human services may establish and maintain a statewide, population-based public health surveillance program on birth conditions, to be known as the New Hampshire birth conditions program if established. The program shall: I. Determine the prevalence an…

All ear piercing devices, including but not limited to earrings, needles, and associated parts, that come in direct contact with the client's skin during the ear piercing process shall be single-use prepackaged sterilized units. Reusable stabilizing devices used in ear piercing t…

In this chapter: I. "Disability income insurance" means insurance intended to protect against loss of occupational earning capacity arising from injury, sickness, or disablement, including insurance that provides benefits for overhead expenses or purchase of a business or profess…

In this chapter: I. "Blood or other potentially infectious material" means human blood, human blood components, products made from human blood, sputum or any such other body fluid, tissue, or organ that may be designated by the director by rule adopted under RSA 141-G:6. II. "Com…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "critical health problems reporting act".

I. It is the purpose of this chapter to designate the department of health and human services as the state agency responsible for preparing information on the transmission and prevention of the human immunodeficiency virus and the hepatitis B virus. II. It is also the purpose of …

The outbreak and spread of communicable disease cause unnecessary risks to health and life, interfere with the orderly workings of business, industry, government, and the process of education, and disrupt the day-to-day affairs of communities and citizens. Because the control of …

I. The general court finds that exposure to asbestos fibers over time has been linked by medical and scientific authorities to a significant increase in the incidence of diseases, such as asbestosis, bronchogenic carcinoma, mesothelioma, and other malignancies, and that such dise…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Determination of Death Act."

I. Every person has the natural, essential, and inherent right to bodily integrity, free from any threat or compulsion by government to accept an immunization. Accordingly, no person may be compelled to receive an immunization for COVID-19 in order to secure, receive, or access a…

I. Subject to RSA 141-G:9, a person may apply to the court for a testing order if such person has had an unprotected exposure to blood or body fluids from a source individual in any of the following circumstances: (a) While providing or receiving emergency health services; or (b)…

I. Any protected health information provided to or acquired by the department under this chapter shall be released only with the informed, written consent of the individual or to those authorized persons having a legitimate need to acquire or use the information and then only so …

Any person who purposely violates RSA 141-F:7, I or RSA 141-F:8, I and thereby discloses the identity of a person infected by a human immunodeficiency virus shall be liable to such person for actual damages, court costs and attorneys' fees, plus a civil penalty of up to $5,000 fo…

Reports provided to the cancer registry under RSA 141-B:7, and analyses and data prepared under RSA 141-B:4, II, III, and V shall be maintained by the department in a manner suitable for chronic disease and cancer research purposes, and shall be available to persons as prescribed…

I. Any person who violates the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. II. An individual harmed by a person violating this chapter may bring a civil action against the person and, if successful, shall be awarded the greater of actual damages or liquidated d…

I. Any contractor, employer, or individual which engages in asbestos abatement activities or activities involving the disturbance of asbestos at asbestos disposal sites shall first obtain a license from the department, except for: (a) Individuals exempt pursuant to paragraph II b…

I. Employees and other individuals who engage in asbestos abatement, school asbestos abatement planning, or disturbance of asbestos at any asbestos disposal site shall first obtain a certificate of training from the department, except for: (a) Individuals exempt pursuant to rules…

I. Whenever it is necessary to prevent the introduction or spread of communicable diseases within this state or from another state, or to restrict such diseases if introduced, and when such communicable diseases pose a substantial threat to the health and life of the citizenry, t…

Any person who purposely violates the provisions of RSA 141-F:5 - 141-F:8 or any rules adopted pursuant to them shall be guilty of a misdemeanor if a natural person, or guilty of a felony if any other person.

I. On an application made under RSA 141-G:10, I, the court may issue an order requiring testing if the court, having considered the medical evaluation and any other evidence the court considers relevant, is satisfied of the following: (a) The applicant has complied with RSA 141-G…

If the department establishes or maintains the New Hampshire birth conditions program, the department shall establish an advisory panel for the program. The panel shall provide technical guidance regarding the operation of the program and such assistance as needed to carry out th…