Purpose

Purpose. The purpose of this Act is: (a) To develop a comprehensive plan to provide for a coordinated, appropriate response in the event of a public health emergency. (b) To authorize the reporting and collection of data and records, the management of property, the protection of persons, and access to communications. (c) To facilitate the early detection of a health emergency and allow for immediate investigation of such an emergency by granting access to individual’s health information under specified circumstances. (d) To grant the CNMI government and local officials the authority to use and appropriate property as necessary for the care, treatment, vaccination and housing of patients and to destroy contaminated facilities and materials. (e) To grant the CNMI government and local officials the authority to provide care, treatment and vaccination to persons who are ill or who have been exposed to contagious diseases and to separate affected individuals from the population at large to interrupt disease transmission. (f) To ensure that the needs of infected or exposed persons are properly addressed to the fullest extent possible, given the primary goal of controlling serious health threats. (g) To provide the CNMI government and local officials with the ability to prevent, detect, manage and contain emergency health threats without unduly interfering with civil rights and liberties. Source: PL 13-63, § 3, modified. Commission Comment: Several conforming and manifest typographical errors in the above section were corrected by the Commission within the parameters of 1 CMC § 3806. PL 13-63 was enacted on February 10, 2004 and contained a short title, findings, purpose, severability, and savings clause provisions. PL 13-63 stated in pertinent part: Section 1. Short Title. This Act may be cited as the “CNMI Emergency Health Powers Act of 2003.” Section 2. Legislative Findings. The Legislature finds that more has to be done to ensure the health, safety and well being of the people of the CNMI. New and emerging dangers, including emergent and resurgent infectious diseases and incidents of civilian mass casualties, pose serious and immediate threats. Emergency health threats, including those caused by bio-terrorism, may require the exercise of extraordinary government powers and functions. The CNMI must have the ability to respond rapidly and effectively to potential or actual public health emergencies. A renewed focus on the prevention, detection, management and containment of public health emergencies is needed.