An Act To Improve and Modernize the Authority of Local Health Officers

CONCEPT DRAFT SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to:

1. Direct the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to update its manual for local health officers to reflect changes in the health inspection rules adopted by the center, provide annual training for local health officers and communicate regularly with local health officers;

2. Repeal the prohibition on local health officers' entering licensed establishments for purposes of inspection;

3. Simplify and modernize the training required for certain municipalities to select a local health officer; and

4. Repeal the requirement that a municipality appoint a local health officer.