Virginia SB 617: Health, Commissioner of, and local health director; qualifications, local variances.

Bill Text

2022SESSION
INTRODUCED
22103430D
1 SENATEBILLNO.617
2 OfferedJanuary12,2022
3 A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 32.1-17, 32.1-30, and 32.1-34 of the Code of Virginia, relating to
4 Commissioner of Health and local health director qualifications; local variances.
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Patron––Locke
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7 ReferredtoCommitteeonEducationandHealth
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9 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
10 1. That §§ 32.1-17, 32.1-30, and 32.1-34 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as
11 follows:
12 §32.1-17. Appointment of Commissioner; qualifications; term.
13 A. There shall be a State Health Commissioner appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation
14 by each house of the General Assembly. The Commissioner shall be a physician licensed to practice
15 medicine in this the Commonwealth and shall be certified by the American Board of Preventive
16 Medicine or a recognized board in a primary care specialty as approved by the American Board of
17 Medical Specialties,; shall be experienced in public health duties, sanitary science, and environmental
18 health,; shall possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a
19 doctoral degree in the area of public health; and shall be otherwise qualified to execute the duties
20 incumbent upon him by law.
21 B. The Commissioner shall be appointed for a term coincident with that of the Governor and shall
22 serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
23 §32.1-30. Local health departments.
24 Each county and city shall establish and maintain a local department of health which that shall be
25 headed by a local health director. Each such local health director shall be a physician licensed to
26 practice medicine in this the Commonwealth or shall possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a
27 Master of Public Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public health.
28 §32.1-34. Scope of local health ordinances and regulations.
29 A. No county, city, or town ordinance or regulation shall be less stringent in the protection of the
30 public health than any applicable state law or any applicable regulations of the Board.
31 B. The Commissioner may grant a variance to a state law or regulation of the Board when the
32 Commissioner determines that, upon review of an application from a county, city, or town, (i) the
33 applicant for such variance has demonstrated that the implementation of a regulation would impose a
34 substantial financial or programmatic hardship and (ii) the variance would not adversely affect the
35 safety and well-being of residents of the county, city, or town or the Commonwealth.
INTRODUCED
SB617
7/29/22
7:46