1.    The state health officer may issue a temporary order for emergency reporting of disease conditions or information if the state health officer finds probable cause to believe there is a threat caused by an imminent or emerging condition affecting the public health, including actual or threatened terrorism.

Terms Used In North Dakota Code 23-07-02.3

  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49

2.    The state health officer may designate who must report, what conditions or information must be reported, what information must be contained in the report, the methods and frequency of reporting, and may make any other pertinent requirement.

3.    The temporary order may be issued and is effective without regard to chapter 28-32 for a period of ninety days, unless earlier revoked by the state health officer. Emergency rulemaking must be initiated under chapter 28-32 within ninety days of the order or the order expires. The temporary order and any emergency rulemaking under this section are effective without the necessity of approval from the department of health and human services.

4.    If the governor declares an emergency or a disaster based on an epidemic under chapter 37-17.1, the state health officer shall consider whether to issue a temporary order to include this infectious disease as a reportable disease or condition or as a post-mortem communicable disease.