TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT
DIVISION 2: EXECUTIVE BRANCH
§ 2603. Department of Public Health and Environmental Services: Duties. The Department of Public Health and Environmental Services has the following powers and duties: (a) To maintain and improve health and sanitary conditions; (b) To minimize and control communicable disease; (c) To establish standards of medical and dental care and practice and to license medical and dental practitioners; (d) To establish and administer programs regarding children with disabilities, infant care, Medicaid, Medicare, mental health and related programs including substance abuse; (e) To establish standards for water quality; and (f) To administer all government-owned health care facilities. (g) To administer public cemeteries, pursuant to 3 CMC § 2611 et seq. Source: PL 1-8, tit. 1, ch. 12, § 3, modified; (d) amended by PL 15-53, § 2. Commission Comment: With respect to the reference to the “Department of Public Health and Environmental Services,” see Executive Order 94-3 (effective August 23, 1994), reorganizing the executive branch, changing agency names and official titles, and effecting other changes, set forth in the Commission comment to 1 CMC § 2001; see also the comment to 1 CMC § 2601. Effective July 29, 2005, PL 14-81 transferred the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation from the Department of Public Health to the Office of the Governor. See 1 CMC § 20151-20154. However, PL 14-81 did not expressly repeal the vocational rehabilitation provision in the above subsection (d). PL 15-53 was enacted on April 19, 2007, and contained findings and purpose, severability, and savings clause provisions. The findings and purpose of PL 15-53 stated: Section 1. Findings and Purpose. The Legislature finds that Public Law No. 14-81 effectuated the transfer of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation from the Department of Public Health to the Office of the Governor. The Legislature also finds that although Public Law No. 14-81 went into effect on July 29, 2005, 1 CMC § 2603(d) still lists “vocational rehabilitation” as one of the duties of the Department of Public Health. Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to correct this oversight by amending the existing statute to delete “vocational rehabilitation.” In addition, the phrase, “crippled children” is replaced with the more dignified phrase, “children with disabilities.”