The Florida Senate

381.0011  Duties and powers of the Department of Health.--It is the duty of the Department of Health to:

(1)  Assess the public health status and needs of the state through statewide data collection and other appropriate means, with special attention to future needs that may result from population growth, technological advancements, new societal priorities, or other changes.

(2)  Formulate general policies affecting the public health of the state.

(3)  Develop a comprehensive public health plan that addresses all aspects of the public health mission and establishes health status objectives to direct the use of public health resources with an emphasis on prevention.

(4)  Administer and enforce laws and rules relating to sanitation, control of communicable diseases, illnesses and hazards to health among humans and from animals to humans, and the general health of the people of the state.

(5)  Cooperate with and accept assistance from federal, state, and local officials for the prevention and suppression of communicable and other diseases, illnesses, injuries, and hazards to human health.

(6)  Declare, enforce, modify, and abolish quarantine as the circumstances indicate. Any health regulation that restricts travel or trade within the state may not be adopted or enforced in this state except by authority of the department.

(7)  Provide for a thorough investigation and study of the incidence, causes, modes of propagation and transmission, and means of prevention, control, and cure of diseases, illnesses, and hazards to human health.

(8)  Provide for the dissemination of information to the public relative to the prevention, control, and cure of diseases, illnesses, and hazards to human health. The department shall conduct a workshop before issuing any health alert or advisory relating to food-borne illness or communicable disease in public lodging or food service establishments in order to inform persons, trade associations, and businesses of the risk to public health and to seek the input of affected persons, trade associations, and businesses on the best methods of informing and protecting the public, except in an emergency, in which case the workshop must be held within 14 days after the issuance of the emergency alert or advisory.

(9)  Act as registrar of vital statistics.

(10)  Cooperate with and assist federal health officials in enforcing public health laws and regulations.

(11)  Cooperate with other departments, local officials, and private boards and organizations for the improvement and preservation of the public health.

(12)  Cooperate with other departments, local officials, and private organizations in developing and implementing a statewide injury control program.

(13)  Adopt, repeal, and amend rules consistent with law. This subsection does not authorize the department to require a permit or license unless such requirement is specifically provided by law.

(14)  Perform any other duties prescribed by law.

History.--s. 3, ch. 91-297; s. 13, ch. 93-53; s. 29, ch. 97-101.