Article 1. County Health Officers of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 101. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 1.

The board of supervisors of each county shall take measures as may be necessary to preserve and protect the public health in the unincorporated territory of the county, including, if indicated, the adoption of ordinances, regulations and orders not in conflict with general laws, and provide for the payment of all expenses incurred in enforcing them.

The sheriff of each county, or city and county, may enforce within the county, or the city and county, all orders of the local health officer issued for the purpose of preventing the spread of any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease. Every peace officer of every political subdivision of the county, or city and county, may enforce within the area subject to his or her jurisdiction all orders of the local health officer issued for the purpose of preventing the spread of any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease. This section is not a limitation on the authority of peace officers or public officers to enforce orders of the local health officer. When deciding whether to request this assistance in enforcement of its orders, the local health officer may consider whether it would be necessary to advise the enforcement agency of any measures that should be taken to prevent infection of the enforcement officers.

The county health officer shall enforce and observe in the unincorporated territory of the county, all of the following:
  (a) Orders and ordinances of the board of supervisors, pertaining to the public health and sanitary matters.
  (b) Orders, including quarantine and other regulations, prescribed by the department.
  (c) Statutes relating to public health.

The county health officer shall advise on medical matters any board or body vested with the management of any county pension or retirement system and shall attend the meetings of the board or body when requested by the board or body.

(a) The local health officer may take any preventive measure that may be necessary to protect and preserve the public health from any public health hazard during any "state of war emergency," "state of emergency," or "local emergency," as defined by Section 8558 of the Government Code, within his or her jurisdiction.
  (b) "Preventive measure" means abatement, correction, removal or any other protective step that may be taken against any public health hazard that is caused by a disaster and affects the public health. Funds for these measures may be allowed pursuant to Sections 29127 to 29131, inclusive, and 53021 to 53023, inclusive, of the Government Code and from any other money appropriated by a county board of supervisors or a city governing body to carry out the purposes of this section.
  (c) The local health officer, upon consent of the county board of supervisors or a city governing body, may certify any public health hazard resulting from any disaster condition if certification is required for any federal or state disaster relief program.

(a) If the local health officer or his or her designee is notified of a leak in an active gas pipeline, that is within the jurisdiction of the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources and within a sensitive area, pursuant to Section 3270.6 of the Public Resources Code and the local health officer or his or her designee determines that the leak poses a risk to public health or safety and that the response to the leak has been inadequate to protect the public health or safety, the local health officer or his or her designee shall, working collaboratively with the division and the owner or operator of the pipeline, do both of the following:
  (1) Direct the responsible party to test, to the satisfaction of the agency overseeing the testing, the soil, air, and water in the affected area for contamination caused by the leak and disclose the results of the tests to the public.
  (2) Make a determination, based on the result of the tests, on whether the leak poses a serious threat to the public health and safety of residents affected by the leak, and require the responsible party to provide assistance, including temporary relocation, to those residents if the local health officer or his or her designee so determines.
  (b) If the local health officer or his or her designee determines, based on the results of the test, that the leak poses a serious threat to public health and safety, the local health officer or his or her designee shall direct the responsible party to notify all residents affected by the leak.
  (c) The responsible party shall be liable for the costs incurred by the local health officer or his or her designee pursuant to this section.
  (d) Providing resident assistance and reimbursement for local health officer expenses shall not relieve a responsible party from liability for damages, and a responsible party shall not condition assistance or request a waiver of liability from the recipient of the assistance.

The county health officer shall investigate health and sanitary conditions in every county jail, every other publicly operated detention facility in the county, and all private work furlough facilities and programs established pursuant to Section 1208 of the Penal Code, at least annually. Private work furlough facilities and programs shall pay an annual fee to the county health officer commensurate with the annual cost of those investigations, as determined by the county health officer. He or she may make additional investigations of any county jail or other detention facility of the county as he or she determines necessary. He or she shall submit a report to the Board of Corrections, the sheriff or other person in charge of the jail or detention facility, and to the board of supervisors. In any city having a health officer, the city health officer shall investigate health and sanitary conditions in every city jail and other detention facility at least annually. He or she may make additional investigations of any city jail or detention facility as he or she determines necessary. He or she shall submit a report to the Board of Corrections, the person in charge of the jail or detention facility, and to the city governing body. Whenever requested by the sheriff, the chief of police, local legislative body, or the Board of Corrections, but not more often than twice annually, the county health officer or, in cities having a city health officer, the city health officer, shall investigate health and sanitary conditions in any of the jails and detention facilities described in this section, and submit a report to each of the officers and agencies authorized in this section to request the investigation and to the Board of Corrections. The investigating officer shall determine if the food, clothing, and bedding is of sufficient quantity and quality that at least shall equal minimum standards and requirements prescribed by the Board of Corrections for the feeding, clothing and care of prisoners in all local jails and detention facilities, and if the sanitation requirements required by Article 11 (commencing with Section 114250) of Chapter 4 of Part 7 of Division 107 for restaurants have been maintained.

(a) The county health officer shall prepare a list of family planning and birth control clinics located in the county for distribution by the county clerk pursuant to Section 26808 of the Government Code. The list shall include information about the availability of pregnancy testing services provided pursuant to Section 123380.
  (b) This section shall be inoperative from July 1, 1993, to June 30, 1994, inclusive.

(a) The county health officer shall furnish all hospitals within the county, and all physicians and surgeons upon request, copies of the list prepared pursuant to Section 101050 in sufficient numbers as they may need for voluntary distribution to patients.
  (b) This section shall be inoperative from July 1, 1993, to June 30, 1994, inclusive.

The county health officer may designate a nonprofit food distribution agency to coordinate and facilitate the donation of food and food products to nonprofit, charitable corporations, from available sources, including restaurants, grocery stores, or food distributors.

(a) (1) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the dispensing or furnishing of drugs requiring a prescription pursuant to Section 11470, a controlled substance as defined in Section 4021 of the Business and Professions Code, or a dangerous drug or a dangerous device as defined in Section 4022 of the Business and Professions Code, without a license poses a significant threat to the public health, safety, and welfare of all residents of the state. In recent years, the public has become increasingly exposed to a proliferation of persons who engage in these illegal or dangerous acts.
  (2) The Legislature further finds and declares that extraordinary measures are needed to control this burgeoning problem. Therefore, the occasional enlistment of local health officers in regulatory and enforcement functions normally reserved to the state is appropriate and necessary in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all persons of this state.
  (3) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this section shall be construed as limiting or supplanting the authority of the state agencies charged with the regulation of the practice of pharmacy.
  (b) Whenever a local health officer determines that there exists in his or her jurisdiction any person who, without a license, is dispensing or furnishing drugs requiring a prescription pursuant to Section 111470, a controlled substance as defined in Section 4021 of the Business and Professions Code, or a dangerous drug or a dangerous device as defined in Section 4022 of the Business and Professions Code, the local health officer may take action against such person. This action shall include, but not be limited to:
  (1) Receiving and investigating complaints from the public, from other licensees or from health care facilities that a person is engaging in any or all of the activity set forth in this subdivision. In conducting any investigation pursuant to this paragraph, the local health officer shall have the assistance of, and be accompanied by, a licensed pharmacist. The local health officer shall provide the Board of Pharmacy, and any other state agency charged with jurisdiction over the activity set forth in this subdivision, with a copy of all complaints received pursuant to this paragraph.
  (2) Issuing an order to the person to immediately cease and desist from the unlawful activity described in this subdivision, after confirming that the person is engaging in any or all of the activity set forth in this subdivision, and determining that the person has not been convicted of engaging in that activity pursuant to Section 11352.1 or any other applicable provision of law. In issuing the order, the local health officer shall notify the person that the activity is illegal in the State of California. In the event the local health officer determines that any or all of the items described in this subdivision must be confiscated, in addition to the cease and desist order, the local health officer shall enlist the aid of local law enforcement to execute confiscation of those items.
  (3) Order the closure of the business, if any, operated, managed, or owned by the person after confirming that the person is engaging in any or all of the activity set forth in this subdivision, and determining whether the person has previously been convicted of engaging in that activity pursuant to Section 11352.1 or any other applicable provision of law. If the public health officer has a reasonable suspicion that the operation of a business poses an immediate threat to public health, welfare, or safety, the business may be ordered closed immediately while the hearing described in subdivision (c) is pending. Immediate danger to the public health, welfare, or safety includes, but is not limited to, evidence that the person is providing, selling, or distributing drugs that require a prescription, or dangerous drugs, devices, or controlled substances without a license. In the event that the local health officer determines that any or all of the items described in this subdivision must be confiscated in addition to the closure of the business, that officer shall enlist the aid of local law enforcement to execute the confiscation of those items.
  (c) (1) Any person engaging in any or all of the activity described in subdivision (b) whose business is closed as a result of action by local health officer pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be entitled to a hearing to show cause why the closure was unwarranted.
  (2) Whenever a local health officer orders the closure of a business pursuant to subdivision (b), the local health officer shall immediately issue to the owner a notice setting forth the acts or omissions with which the owner is charged, specifying the pertinent code section, and informing the owner of the right to a hearing, if requested, to show cause why the business should not be closed.
  (3) A written request for a hearing shall be submitted by the person to the local health officer within 15 calendar days of closure. A failure to request a hearing within 15 calendar days of closure shall be deemed a waiver of the right to a hearing.
  (4) The hearing shall be held within 15 calendar days of the receipt of a request for a hearing; however, when circumstances warrant, the hearing officer may order a hearing at any reasonable time within this 15-day period to expedite the hearing process. Upon written request of the person, the hearing officer may postpone any hearing date, if circumstances warrant the postponement.
  (5) The hearing officer shall issue a written notice of decision to the person within five working days following the hearing. In the event the hearing officer determines that the closure was warranted, the notice shall specify the acts or omissions with which the person is charged, and shall state that the business shall remain closed permanently. Evidence that the person engaged in any or all of the activity set forth in subdivision (b) shall constitute prima facie evidence that permanent closure is warranted. Any business still operating shall close immediately upon receipt of the written decision ordering closure.