The bill amends and reenacts section 23-01-05 of the North Dakota Century Code, which outlines the qualifications, term, and duties of the state health officer. Key changes include the requirement that the state health officer must have education, training, or experience in public health and relevant leadership experience, rather than being a physician with specific administrative and public health experience. The bill also stipulates that the state health officer serves at the pleasure of the governor instead of holding a fixed four-year term. Additionally, the governor is tasked with setting the salary of the state health officer within legislative appropriations.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the advisory committee's structure, allowing the commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services to appoint members rather than requiring recommendations from the state medical association. The advisory committee will now serve at the pleasure of the commissioner, and its meetings will not be subject to open meeting requirements. The duties of the state health officer are expanded to include issuing written orders for disease control measures, which must be limited to affected geographical areas unless a statewide emergency is declared. The bill also includes provisions to protect religious conduct from being more restrictively treated than secular conduct in the context of health orders.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 23-01-05
Adopted by the Senate Human Services Committee: 23-01-05
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 23-01-05
Enrollment: 23-01-05