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2021 SESSION

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SB 993 State Health Commissioner; local health directors, qualifications.

Introduced by: Mamie E. Locke | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

State Health Commissioner; local health director; additional degrees. Allows the State Health Commissioner and local health directors to either be physicians, as required under existing law, or possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public health as an alternative to the current requirement.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

State Health Commissioner; local health director; additional degrees; variance. Requires that, in addition to existing qualifications, the State Health Commissioner possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a doctorate in the area of public health. The bill allows local health directors to possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a doctorate in the area of public health as an alternative to the current requirement that each local health director be a physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth. The bill states that the Commissioner may grant a variance to a state law or regulation of the State Board of Health when the Commissioner determines that, upon review of an application from a county, city or town, the applicant for such variance has demonstrated that the implementation of a regulation would impose a substantial financial or programmatic hardship and the variance would not adversely affect the safety and well-being of residents of the county, city, or town or the Commonwealth.