Opinion ID: 2160758
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: statutes regulating actions of county department

Text: With the nature of the discretionary function exemption in mind, we turn our attention to the statutes which regulate the county department. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 71-501 (Reissue 1990) declares: The county boards ... shall make and enforce regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of ... infectious ... diseases in their respective counties.... Should the board of health fail to enact rules and regulations as herein provided, it shall enforce the rules and regulations promulgated by the [state] Department of Health. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 71-503 (Reissue 1990) reads in part: All attending physicians shall report to the official local health department or the [state] Department of Health promptly, upon the discovery thereof, the existence of any contagious or infectious diseases and such other disease, illness, or poisoning as the [state] Department of Health may from time to time specify. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 71-503.01 (Reissue 1986) announces: Whenever any statute of the state, any ordinance or resolution of a municipal corporation or political subdivision enacted pursuant to statute ... requires medical practitioners or other persons to report cases of communicable diseases ... such reports or notifications shall be confidential.... The appropriate board, health department, agency, or official may: (1) Publish analyses of such reports and information for scientific and public health purposes in such a manner as to assure that the identity of any individual concerned cannot be ascertained; (2) discuss the report or notification with the attending physician; and (3) make such investigation as deemed necessary. (Emphasis supplied.) Neb.Rev.Stat. § 71-505 (Reissue 1986) provides: It shall be the duty of the [state] Department of Health, in addition to other duties provided by law, to secure and maintain in all parts of the state an official record and notification of reportable diseases, illnesses, or poisonings ... and in all other effective ways to prevent the origin and spread of disease and promote the general public health. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 71-1631 (Reissue 1990) states: The board of health of each county ... shall have the power herein set forth.... It shall, with the approval of the board of county commissioners ... (7) enact rules and regulations ... and enforce the same for the protection of public health and the prevention of communicable diseases within its jurisdiction, subject to the review and approval of such rules and regulations by the State Board of Health ... (10) investigate the existence of any contagious or infectious disease and adopt measures, with the approval of the [state] Department of Health, to arrest the progress of the same.... (Emphasis supplied.)