65-202. Same; oath and bond of local health officers; duties and compensation; employment of additional personnel; removal from office; criminal penalties.

65-202

Chapter 65.--PUBLIC HEALTH
Article 2.--LOCAL BOARDS OF HEALTH; CLINICS

      65-202.   Same; oath and bond of local health officers; duties and compensation;employment of additional personnel; removal from office; criminal penalties.The local health officer in each county throughout the state,immediately after his or her appointment, shall take the same oath ofoffice prescribed by law for the county officers, shall give bond offive hundred dollars ($500) conditioned for the faithful performance ofhis or her duties, shall keep an accurate record of all the transactions ofhis or her office, shall turn over to his or her successor in office orto the county or joint board of health selecting such officer, on theexpiration of his or her term of office, all records, documents andother articles belonging to the office and shall faithfully account tosaid board and to the county and state for all moneys coming into his orher hands by virtue of the office. Such officer shall notify thesecretary of health and environment of his or herappointment and qualification, as herein provided for, and provide the secretarywith his orher post-office address.

      Such officer shall receive and distribute without delay in the countyfor which he or she is appointed all forms from the secretary of healthand environment to the rightful persons, all returns frompersons licensed to practice medicine and surgery,assessors and local boards to said secretary, shall keep an accuraterecord of all of the transactions of his or her office and shall turnover all records and documents kept by such officer, as herein provided,and all other articles belonging to the office to his or her successorin office, or to the county or joint board electing such officer, on theexpiration of his or her term of office.

      Such officer shall upon the opening of the fall term of school, makeor have made a sanitary inspection of each school building and grounds,and shall make or have made such additional inspections thereof as arenecessary to protect the public health of the students of theschool.

      Such officer shall make or have made an investigation of each case ofsmallpox, diphtheria, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, acute anteriorpoliomyelitis (infantile paralysis), epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitisand such other acute infectious, contagious or communicable diseases asmay be required, and shall use all known measures to preventthe spread of any such infectious, contagious or communicable disease, andshall perform such other duties as this act, his or her county orjoint board, or the secretary of health and environment may require.

      Such officer shall receive for his or her services such reasonablecompensation as his or her board may allow and with the approval of hisor her board of health may employ a skilled professional nurse andother additional personnel whenever deemed necessary for the protectionof the public health.

      All of said several sums allowed shall be paid out of the countytreasury. For any failure or neglect of said local health officer toperform any of the duties prescribed in this act, he or she may beremoved from office by the secretary of health and environment, as wellas in the manner prescribed by the preceding section. In addition toremoval from office as provided herein, for any failure or neglect toperform any of the duties prescribed by this act, said localhealth officer shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and,upon conviction, be fined not less than ten dollars ($10) nor more than onehundred dollars ($100) for each and every offense.

      History:   L. 1885, ch. 129, § 8; L. 1909, ch. 102, § 1; R.S.1923, 65-202; L. 1925, ch. 202, § 1; L. 1927, ch. 240, § 1; L. 1973,ch. 246, § 2; L. 1975, ch. 462, § 70; L. 1980, ch. 182, § 26; July 1.