20 ILCS 2305/2

Current through Public Act 103-1052

Section 20 ILCS 2305/2 - Powers

(a) The State Department of Public Health has general supervision of the interests of the health and lives of the people of the State. It has supreme authority in matters of quarantine and isolation, and may declare and enforce quarantine and isolation when none exists, and may modify or relax quarantine and isolation when it has been established. The Department may adopt, promulgate, repeal and amend rules and regulations and make such sanitary investigations and inspections as it may from time to time deem necessary for the preservation and improvement of the public health, consistent with law regulating the following:

(1) Transportation of the remains of deceased persons.

(2) Sanitary practices relating to drinking water made accessible to the public for human consumption or for lavatory or culinary purposes.

(3) Sanitary practices relating to rest room facilities made accessible to the public or to persons handling food served to the public.

(4) Sanitary practices relating to disposal of human wastes in or from all buildings and places where people live, work or assemble.

The provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act are hereby expressly adopted and shall apply to all administrative rules and procedures of the Department of Public Health under this Act, except that Section 5-35 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act relating to procedures for rule-making does not apply to the adoption of any rule required by federal law in connection with which the Department is precluded by law from exercising any discretion.

All local boards of health, health authorities and officers, police officers, sheriffs and all other officers and employees of the state or any locality shall enforce the rules and regulations so adopted and orders issued by the Department pursuant to this Section.

The Department of Public Health shall conduct a public information campaign to inform Hispanic women of the high incidence of breast cancer and the importance of mammograms and where to obtain a mammogram. This requirement may be satisfied by translation into Spanish and distribution of the breast cancer summaries required by Section 2310-345 of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law (20 ILCS 2310/2310-345). The information provided by the Department of Public Health shall include (i) a statement that mammography is the most accurate method for making an early detection of breast cancer, however, no diagnostic tool is 100% effective and (ii) instructions for performing breast self-examination and a statement that it is important to perform a breast self-examination monthly.

The Department of Public Health shall investigate the causes of dangerously contagious or infectious diseases, especially when existing in epidemic form, and take means to restrict and suppress the same, and whenever such disease becomes, or threatens to become epidemic, in any locality and the local board of health or local authorities neglect or refuse to enforce efficient measures for its restriction or suppression or to act with sufficient promptness or efficiency, or whenever the local board of health or local authorities neglect or refuse to promptly enforce efficient measures for the restriction or suppression of dangerously contagious or infectious diseases, the Department of Public Health may enforce such measures as it deems necessary to protect the public health, and all necessary expenses so incurred shall be paid by the locality for which services are rendered.

(b) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c), the Department may order a person or group of persons to be quarantined or isolated or may order a place to be closed and made off limits to the public to prevent the probable spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, including non-compliant tuberculosis patients, until such time as the condition can be corrected or the danger to the public health eliminated or reduced in such a manner that no substantial danger to the public's health any longer exists. Orders for isolation of a person or quarantine of a place to prevent the probable spread of a sexually transmitted infection shall be governed by the provisions of Section 7 of the Illinois Sexually Transmitted Infection Control Act and not this Section.

(c) Except as provided in this Section, no person or a group of persons may be ordered to be quarantined or isolated and no place may be ordered to be closed and made off limits to the public except with the consent of the person or owner of the place or upon the prior order of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Department may, however, order a person or a group of persons to be quarantined or isolated or may order a place to be closed and made off limits to the public on an immediate basis without prior consent or court order if, in the reasonable judgment of the Department, immediate action is required to protect the public from a dangerously contagious or infectious disease. In the event of an immediate order issued without prior consent or court order, the Department shall, as soon as practical, within 48 hours after issuing the order, obtain the consent of the person or owner or file a petition requesting a court order authorizing the isolation or quarantine or closure. When exigent circumstances exist that cause the court system to be unavailable or that make it impossible to obtain consent or file a petition within 48 hours after issuance of an immediate order, the Department must obtain consent or file a petition requesting a court order as soon as reasonably possible. To obtain a court order, the Department, by clear and convincing evidence, must prove that the public's health and welfare are significantly endangered by a person or group of persons that has, that is suspected of having, that has been exposed to, or that is reasonably believed to have been exposed to a dangerously contagious or infectious disease including non-compliant tuberculosis patients or by a place where there is a significant amount of activity likely to spread a dangerously contagious or infectious disease. The Department must also prove that all other reasonable means of correcting the problem have been exhausted and no less restrictive alternative exists. For purposes of this subsection, in determining whether no less restrictive alternative exists, the court shall consider evidence showing that, under the circumstances presented by the case in which an order is sought, quarantine or isolation is the measure provided for in a rule of the Department or in guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization. Persons who are or are about to be ordered to be isolated or quarantined and owners of places that are or are about to be closed and made off limits to the public shall have the right to counsel. If a person or owner is indigent, the court shall appoint counsel for that person or owner. Persons who are ordered to be isolated or quarantined or who are owners of places that are ordered to be closed and made off limits to the public, shall be given a written notice of such order. The written notice shall additionally include the following: (1) notice of the right to counsel; (2) notice that if the person or owner is indigent, the court will appoint counsel for that person or owner; (3) notice of the reason for the order for isolation, quarantine, or closure; (4) notice of whether the order is an immediate order, and if so, the time frame for the Department to seek consent or to file a petition requesting a court order as set out in this subsection; and (5) notice of the anticipated duration of the isolation, quarantine, or closure.

(d) The Department may order physical examinations and tests and collect laboratory specimens as necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of individuals in order to prevent the probable spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease. Physical examinations, tests, or collection of laboratory specimens must not be such as are reasonably likely to lead to serious harm to the affected individual. To prevent the spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, the Department may, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section, isolate or quarantine any person whose refusal of physical examination or testing or collection of laboratory specimens results in uncertainty regarding whether he or she has been exposed to or is infected with a dangerously contagious or infectious disease or otherwise poses a danger to the public's health. An individual may refuse to consent to a physical examination, test, or collection of laboratory specimens. An individual shall be given a written notice that shall include notice of the following: (i) that the individual may refuse to consent to physical examination, test, or collection of laboratory specimens; (ii) that if the individual consents to physical examination, tests, or collection of laboratory specimens, the results of that examination, test, or collection of laboratory specimens may subject the individual to isolation or quarantine pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section; (iii) that if the individual refuses to consent to physical examination, tests, or collection of laboratory specimens and that refusal results in uncertainty regarding whether he or she has been exposed to or is infected with a dangerously contagious or infectious disease or otherwise poses a danger to the public's health, the individual may be subject to isolation or quarantine pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section; and (iv) that if the individual refuses to consent to physical examinations, tests, or collection of laboratory specimens and becomes subject to isolation and quarantine as provided in this subsection (d), he or she shall have the right to counsel pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section. To the extent feasible without endangering the public's health, the Department shall respect and accommodate the religious beliefs of individuals in implementing this subsection.

(e) The Department may order the administration of vaccines, medications, or other treatments to persons as necessary in order to prevent the probable spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease. A vaccine, medication, or other treatment to be administered must not be such as is reasonably likely to lead to serious harm to the affected individual. To prevent the spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, the Department may, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section, isolate or quarantine persons who are unable or unwilling to receive vaccines, medications, or other treatments pursuant to this Section. An individual may refuse to receive vaccines, medications, or other treatments. An individual shall be given a written notice that shall include notice of the following: (i) that the individual may refuse to consent to vaccines, medications, or other treatments; (ii) that if the individual refuses to receive vaccines, medications, or other treatments, the individual may be subject to isolation or quarantine pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section; and (iii) that if the individual refuses to receive vaccines, medications, or other treatments and becomes subject to isolation or quarantine as provided in this subsection (e), he or she shall have the right to counsel pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section. To the extent feasible without endangering the public's health, the Department shall respect and accommodate the religious beliefs of individuals in implementing this subsection.

(f) The Department may order observation and monitoring of persons to prevent the probable spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease. To prevent the spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, the Department may, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section, isolate or quarantine persons whose refusal to undergo observation and monitoring results in uncertainty regarding whether he or she has been exposed to or is infected with a dangerously contagious or infectious disease or otherwise poses a danger to the public's health. An individual may refuse to undergo observation and monitoring. An individual shall be given written notice that shall include notice of the following: (i) that the individual may refuse to undergo observation and monitoring; (ii) that if the individual consents to observation and monitoring, the results of that observation and monitoring may subject the individual to isolation or quarantine pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section; (iii) that if the individual refuses to undergo observation and monitoring and that refusal results in uncertainty regarding whether he or she has been exposed to or is infected with a dangerously contagious or infectious disease or otherwise poses a danger to the public's health, the individual may be subject to isolation or quarantine pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section; and (iv) that if the individual refuses to undergo observation and monitoring and becomes subject to isolation or quarantine as provided in this subsection (f), he or she shall have the right to counsel pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Section.

(g) To prevent the spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease among humans, the Department may examine, test, disinfect, seize, or destroy animals or other related property believed to be sources of infection. An owner of such animal or other related property shall be given written notice regarding such examination, testing, disinfection, seizure, or destruction. When the Department determines that any animal or related property is infected with or has been exposed to a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, it may agree with the owner upon the value of the animal or of any related property that it may be found necessary to destroy, and in case such an agreement cannot be made, the animals or related property shall be appraised by 3 competent and disinterested appraisers, one to be selected by the Department, one by the claimant, and one by the 2 appraisers thus selected. The appraisers shall subscribe to an oath made in writing to fairly value the animals or related property in accordance with the requirements of this Act. The oath, together with the valuation fixed by the appraisers, shall be filed with the Department and preserved by it. Upon the appraisal being made, the owner or the Department shall immediately destroy the animals by "humane euthanasia" as that term is defined in Section 2.09 of the Humane Care for Animals Act. Dogs and cats, however, shall be euthanized pursuant to the provisions of the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act. The owner or the Department shall additionally, dispose of the carcasses, and disinfect, change, or destroy the premises occupied by the animals, in accordance with rules prescribed by the Department governing such destruction and disinfection. Upon his or her failure so to do or to cooperate with the Department, the Department shall cause the animals or related property to be destroyed and disposed of in the same manner, and thereupon the owner shall forfeit all right to receive any compensation for the destruction of the animals or related property. All final administrative decisions of the Department hereunder shall be subject to judicial review pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto. The term "administrative decision" is defined as in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(h) To prevent the spread of a dangerously contagious or infectious disease, the Department, local boards of health, and local public health authorities shall have emergency access to medical or health information or records or data upon the condition that the Department, local boards of health, and local public health authorities shall protect the privacy and confidentiality of any medical or health information or records or data obtained pursuant to this Section in accordance with federal and State law. Additionally, any such medical or health information or records or data shall be exempt from inspection and copying under the Freedom of Information Act. Other than a hearing for the purpose of this Act, any information, records, reports, statements, notes, memoranda, or other data in the possession of the Department, local boards of health, or local public health authorities shall not be admissible as evidence, nor discoverable in any action of any kind in any court or before any tribunal, board, agency, or person. The access to or disclosure of any of this information or data by the Department, a local board of health, or a local public authority shall not waive or have any effect upon its non-discoverability or non-admissibility. Any person, facility, institution, or agency that provides emergency access to health information and data under this subsection shall have immunity from any civil or criminal liability, or any other type of liability that might otherwise result by reason of these actions except in the event of willful and wanton misconduct. The privileged quality of communication between any professional person or any facility shall not constitute grounds for failure to provide emergency access. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the sharing of information as authorized in Section 2.1 of this Act. The disclosure of any of this information, records, reports, statements, notes, memoranda, or other data obtained in any activity under this Act, except that necessary for the purposes of this Act, is unlawful, and any person convicted of violating this provision is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(i)

(A) The Department, in order to prevent and control disease, injury, or disability among citizens of the State of Illinois, may develop and implement, in consultation with local public health authorities, a Statewide system for syndromic data collection through the access to interoperable networks, information exchanges, and databases. The Department may also develop a system for the reporting of comprehensive, integrated data to identify and address unusual occurrences of disease symptoms and other medical complexes affecting the public's health.

(B) The Department may enter into contracts or agreements with individuals, corporations, hospitals, universities, not-for-profit corporations, governmental entities, or other organizations, whereby those individuals or entities agree to provide assistance in the compilation of the syndromic data collection and reporting system.

(C) The Department shall not release any syndromic data or information obtained pursuant to this subsection to any individuals or entities for purposes other than the protection of the public health. All access to data by the Department, reports made to the Department, the identity of or facts that would tend to lead to the identity of the individual who is the subject of the report, and the identity of or facts that would tend to lead to the identity of the author of the report shall be strictly confidential, are not subject to inspection or dissemination, and shall be used only for public health purposes by the Department, local public health authorities, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Entities or individuals submitting reports or providing access to the Department shall not be held liable for the release of information or confidential data to the Department in accordance with this subsection.

(D) Nothing in this subsection prohibits the sharing of information as authorized in Section 2.1 of this Act.

(j) This Section shall be considered supplemental to the existing authority and powers of the Department and shall not be construed to restrain or restrict the Department in protecting the public health under any other provisions of the law.

(k) Any person who knowingly or maliciously disseminates any false information or report concerning the existence of any dangerously contagious or infectious disease in connection with the Department's power of quarantine, isolation and closure or refuses to comply with a quarantine, isolation or closure order is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(l) The Department of Public Health may establish and maintain a chemical and bacteriologic laboratory for the examination of water and wastes, and for the diagnosis of diphtheria, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, malarial fever and such other diseases as it deems necessary for the protection of the public health.

As used in this Act, "locality" means any governmental agency which exercises power pertaining to public health in an area less than the State.

The terms "sanitary investigations and inspections" and "sanitary practices" as used in this Act shall not include or apply to "Public Water Supplies" or "Sewage Works" as defined in the Environmental Protection Act. The Department may adopt rules that are reasonable and necessary to implement and effectuate this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

(m) The public health measures set forth in subsections (a) through (h) of this Section may be used by the Department to respond to chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents or events. The individual provisions of subsections (a) through (h) of this Section apply to any order issued by the Department under this Section. The provisions of subsection (k) apply to chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents or events. Prior to the Department issuing an order for public health measures set forth in this Act for chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents or events as authorized in subsection (m), the Department and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency shall consult in accordance with the Illinois emergency response framework. When responding to chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents or events, the Department shall determine the health related risks and appropriate public health response measures and provide recommendations for response to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Nothing in this Section shall supersede the current National Incident Management System and the Illinois Emergency Operation Plan or response plans and procedures established pursuant to IEMA statutes.

20 ILCS 2305/2

Amended by P.A. 103-1049,§ 10, eff. 8/9/2024.

Amended by P.A. 096-0698,§ 5, eff. 8/25/2009.

Amended by P.A. 093-0829, § 10, eff. 7/28/2004.

P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.