The bill amends and reenacts section 23-01-05 of the North Dakota Century Code, which outlines the qualifications, salary, term, and duties of the state health officer. Key changes include the removal of the requirement that the state health officer must be a physician with specific administrative and public health experience. Instead, the new qualifications stipulate that the appointee must have education, training, or experience in public health and relevant leadership experience. The bill also changes the term of the state health officer from a fixed four-year term to serving at the pleasure of the governor. Additionally, the advisory committee that assists the state health officer will now be appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services rather than the governor.

The bill further details the duties of the state health officer, including providing strategic advice to improve public health, advising local health officers, and issuing written orders for disease control measures. It specifies that such orders must be geographically limited and cannot be statewide unless a disaster is declared by the governor. The bill also includes provisions to protect religious conduct from being more restrictively treated than secular conduct during health orders, allowing individuals to claim violations in court. Overall, the amendments aim to modernize the role of the state health officer and enhance public health governance in North Dakota.

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