The COVID Project
The record
- Jurisdiction
- District of Columbia
- Level
- State
- Authority
- An Act To authorize the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to make regulations to prevent and control the spread of communicable and preventable diseases, 53 Stat. 1408 (Communicable and Preventable Diseases Act)
- Issued
- 1939-08-11 Aug. 11, 1939
- Effective
- 1939-08-11; in force throughout 2020-2021 (read as 1939-08-11)
- End
- standing (read as 2021-09-30)
- In force
- Standing since Aug. 11, 1939 (a statutory duty; in force throughout the six quarters)
- Quarters
- 2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
- Limitation types
- Quarantine and isolationStanding dutyOther
- Addressees
- persons generally; owners or persons in control of premises; health care providers (reporting)
- Character
- statutory authority
- Collection
- Standing duties: District of Columbia DUT-DC
Operative words
The Mayor may, upon the advice of the Director of the Department of Health..., issue rules to prevent and control the spread of communicable diseases... These rules may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to:... (3) Requirements and procedures for restriction of movement, isolation, and quarantine not inconsistent with this subchapter.
Penalty
Wilful violation of any rule issued under the subchapter: misdemeanor, fine not exceeding $1,000, imprisonment not more than 30 days, or both (sec. 7-140, Ex. DUT-DC-008)
What it required
Confers on the Mayor, on the advice of the Director of DC Health, the power to issue rules 'to prevent and control the spread of communicable diseases', including rules for reporting and for 'restriction of movement, isolation, and quarantine'; the rules bind every person and carry the criminal penalties of sec. 7-140. Character as recorded: statutory_authority (enabling power; binds through the orders issued under it).
Retrieval noteRecited as authority ('D.C. Official Code 7-131 et seq.') in Mayor's Orders 2020-053, 2020-054 and 2020-080; Mayor's Order 2020-080 directed that 'The Department of Health shall issue rules pursuant to the Communicable and Preventable Diseases Act... to provide for the imposition of penalties upon any individual or entity that knowingly violates this Order' (Ex. DC-010); Mayor's Order 2021-097 declared that compulsory statements in DC Health guidance 'are to be treated as lawful regulations under the Communicable and Preventable Diseases Act' (Ex. DC-057).