{"id":"DUT-ME-001","kind":"duty","level":"state","jurisdiction":"Maine","state":"ME","metro":"","industry":"","agency":"","eco":"","issuer":"Maine Legislature (22 M.R.S. chapter 250, Control of Notifiable Diseases and Conditions; administered by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention)","authority":"Me. Const. art. IV; police power of the State; P.L. 1989, c. 487, sec. 11 (chapter enacted); P.L. 2001, c. 694 (extreme public health emergency subchapter)","instrument":"22 M.R.S. secs. 801-825: sec. 801(4-A) (extreme public health emergency) and 801(10) (public health threat); sec. 802 (authority of department; health emergency; emergency rules; Governor\u0027s declaration); sec. 803 (inspection); sec. 804 (enforcement by agents, local health officers, sheriffs and law enforcement; cease-and-desist; fines; injunction); sec. 805 (court orders); sec. 807 (control of communicable diseases; designated facilities); sec. 808 (investigations); sec. 810 (emergency temporary custody of person or property); secs. 811-812 (court-ordered public health measures); sec. 816 (compliance-conditioned immunity); sec. 820 (extreme public health emergency powers); secs. 821-822 (reporting); sec. 825 (penalties)","title":"Title 22, Chapter 250: Control of Notifiable Diseases and Conditions (Maine Revised Statutes, chapter compilation generated January 5, 2026)","dateIssued":"2020-03-18","effective":"standing; the chapter was in force in the text then current throughout March 2020 to September 2021; the Governor\u0027s Proclamation of Mar. 15, 2020 (Ex. ME-001) declared the emergency under secs. 801(4-A) and 802(2-A) and authorized DHHS \u0027to exercise emergency powers pursuant to 22 M.R.S. sec. 820\u0027","end":"standing","startDate":"2020-03-15","endDate":"2021-09-30","quarters":["2020Q2","2020Q3","2020Q4","2021Q1","2021Q2","2021Q3"],"types":["DUTY","QUAR","CLOSE","EMER","HC"],"addressees":["persons generally (\u0027any person who neglects, violates or refuses to obey the rules\u0027); owners or persons in control of premises and property (secs. 802(2)(B), 803, 810); health care providers, pharmacists and laboratories (secs. 820(1)(A), 822); schools and day care facilities (sec. 806)"],"clause":"In the event of an actual or threatened epidemic or public health threat, the department may declare that a health emergency exists and may adopt emergency rules for the protection of the public health relating to: A. Procedures for the isolation and placement of infected persons...; B. Procedures for the disinfection, seizure or destruction of contaminated property","enforcement":"sec. 804(2): written cease-and-desist order; fine of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000 for each violation, each day uncorrected a separate offense; District Court injunction or civil fine not to exceed $1,500, or both; sec. 810: ex parte emergency custody of \u0027the person or property\u0027 on clear and convincing evidence; sec. 812: court-ordered public health measures including commitment to a facility for isolation up to 30 days; sec. 820(1)(B): custody and prescribed care without court order where delay \u0027would pose an imminent risk\u0027; sec. 825: civil violation up to $250 for failing to report a notifiable disease; sec. 804(3) (added 2021): immediate license suspension","functions":[],"notes":"Every person to obey the Department\u0027s communicable-disease rules and orders on pain of a cease-and-desist order, administrative fines of $250 to $1,000 per violation counted daily, District Court injunction and civil fine, and emergency custody of the person or the property that poses \u0027a clear and immediate public health threat\u0027 (sec. 810), with \u0027agents of the department, local health officers, sheriffs, state and local law enforcement officers\u0027 all authorized to enforce (sec. 804(1)), and every owner of property exposed to disinfection, seizure or destruction of contaminated property under emergency rules (sec. 802(2)(B)). Character as recorded: statutory_authority (enabling power; binds through the orders issued under it).","sourceUrl":"https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/22/title22ch250.pdf","snapshot":"","fileExists":true,"fileBytes":200999,"grade":"primary","character":"statutory_authority","description":"","collection":"DUT-ME","url":"/library/DUT-ME-001","exhibitUrl":"/exhibit/DUT-ME-001","citation":"Maine Legislature (22 M.R.S. chapter 250, Control of Notifiable Diseases and Conditions; administered by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention), 22 M.R.S. secs. 801-825: sec. 801(4-A) (extreme public health emergency) and 801(10) (public health threat); sec. 802 (authority of department; health emergency; emergency rules; Governor\u0027s declaration); sec. 803 (inspection); sec. 804 (enforcement by agents, local health officers, sheriffs and law enforcement; cease-and-desist; fines; injunction); sec. 805 (court orders); sec. 807 (control of communicable diseases; designated facilities); sec. 808 (investigations); sec. 810 (emergency temporary custody of person or property); secs. 811-812 (court-ordered public health measures); sec. 816 (compliance-conditioned immunity); sec. 820 (extreme public health emergency powers); secs. 821-822 (reporting); sec. 825 (penalties) (standing) (Ex. DUT-ME-001)","stateName":"Maine","related":["ME-001","ME-061","DUT-ME-009"]}