Authority. The governor, along with the state director of health services, has primary authority in a state of emergency involving possible infectious disease. If investigation reveals a suspicion of a highly contagious disease to be accurate, the state or local health authority may declare a quarantine if it is the least intrusive means of protecting public health. A quarantine or isolation should be established by written court order unless there is an urgent threat to public health, in which case the Department of Health or local health authority can initiate a quarantine by written directive provided they file a petition for court order within 10 days. The maximum court order for quarantine is 30 days before requiring a new order.

Police Power and Limitations. No treatment shall be provided against the will of an individual provided they cooperate with quarantine and sanitation orders. If an individual under quarantine is shown to no longer pose a public health risk, they may be released prior to end of court-ordered period.

Police Power and Limitations. If a health officer has reasonable grounds to suspect an individual has an active or communicable form of tuberculosis who is not willing to undergo treatment, they may detain the individual for the necessary testing and establish suitable isolation. If suitable local isolation is unavailable, they can petition the court to move the individual to an appropriate state facility.

Authority. Health officers should take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of a contagious disease within their jurisdiction. Officers are required to enforce quarantine of state Department of Health and cannot enforce a quarantine against another jurisdiction without state approval.

Police Power and Limitations. Isolation or quarantine shall be by the least restrictive means necessary to protect the citizenry which, in the case of an individual, shall be at a place of his or her choosing unless the commissioner determines such place to be impractical or unlikely to adequately protect the public health. The commissioner may, in ordering isolation or quarantine of persons, require that treatment be obtained.