§ 23-35-12 — Local health officers

North Dakota § 23-35-12

• Jurisdiction: North Dakota
• Title 23: Health and Safety
• Ch. 23-35: Public Health Units

Text

1. A local health officer shall serve a term of five years, subject to removal for cause by
the governing body or the district board of health. The health officer must be a
physician licensed to practice medicine in this state and need not be a resident of the
public health unit. The appointee shall qualify by filing the constitutional oath of office
in the manner provided for the members of the board of health. If the state health
officer finds a local health officer is failing to perform the duties of the position, the
state health officer may report the case to the governing body of the appropriate city,
county, or district board of health. At the next meeting of the city's or county's
governing body or district board of health, the governing body or district board of
health shall declare the office vacant and may appoint another physician to fill the
unexpired term, or shall report the matter to the board of health, and the board shall
declare the office vacant and promptly shall appoint another physician to fill the
unexpired term.
2. Within the jurisdiction of the board of health, a local health officer:
a. Shall keep a record of the official acts of the local health officer.
b. Shall enforce every law and rule relating to preservation of life and health of
individuals.
c. May exercise the powers and duties of the board of health under the supervision
of the board of health.
d. May make sanitary inspections of any place within the jurisdiction in which the
local health officer finds a probability a health-threatening condition exists.
e. May investigate public water and ice supplies suspected of contamination and
initiate necessary condemnation proceedings.
f. May enforce school cleanliness; inspect any school that may be overcrowded,
poorly ventilated, or unsanitary; and, when necessary, report cases of any
unsanitary or unsafe school building to the board of health for investigation.
g. May take any action necessary for the protection of public health and safety.
h. May determine when confinement and decontamination is necessary for the
safety of the public. The local health officer may establish confinements
consistent with procedures provided under chapter 23-07.6 and perform any acts
required for decontamination when necessary.
i. Shall maintain an office within the jurisdiction of the public health unit consistent
with any terms of appointment.
j. May select and discharge any assistant health officer in the public health unit,
consistent with any terms of appointment.
3. A local health officer may request the assistance of a county sheriff or city health
department in the same manner as provided under subsection 3 of section 23-35-09.