Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act

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The Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act (63 O.S. § 6101-6804), often referred to as the Health Emergency Act, is an Oklahoma state law that details the response to a catastrophic health emergency in Oklahoma. The Health Emergency Act along with the Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003 form the primary state laws regarding emergency management.

The Health Emergency Act grants state and local officials the authority to provide care, treatment, and vaccination to persons who are ill or who have been exposed to transmissible diseases during a catastrophic health emergency as well as the authority to separate affected individuals from the population at large to interrupt disease transmission. The Act provides for ensuring the needs of infected or exposed persons are properly addressed to the fullest extent possible, given the primary goal of controlling serious health threats and allows state and local officials the ability to prevent, detect, manage, and contain health threats without unduly interfering with civil rights and liberties.

The Health Emergency Act was signed into law by Governor Brad Henry on August 29, 2003