The COVID Project
The record
- Jurisdiction
- Georgia
- Level
- State
- Authority
- O.C.G.A. Titles 31 and 38 (recited in Rule 511-9-1-.01(1)); sections 31-2A-4, 31-12-3, 31-12-4 and 38-3-51(i)
- Effective
- standing
- End
- standing (read as 2021-09-30)
- In force
- Standing (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
- Business closureGathering capTravel and quarantineQuarantine and isolationStanding duty
- Addressees
- persons generally; owners or persons in control of premises (closure, evacuation, decontamination of facilities); organizers of public gatherings
- Character
- sanitary code duty
- Collection
- Standing duties: Georgia DUT-GA
Operative words
In order to control the spread of a communicable disease that may pose a threat to the public health, the Department may: (a) Isolate persons infected...; (b) Quarantine persons exposed to... a communicable disease...; (e) Restrict travel into or within the state; (f) Limit or cancel public gatherings; (g) Close, evacuate, or decontaminate any facility...
Penalty
Violation of a Department rule or order is a misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. section 31-5-8 and enjoinable under section 31-5-9 (Ex. DUT-GA-004); Rule.05(2) provides the hearing and review procedure, and a request for a hearing 'shall not stay' the order
What it required
Rule.03 authorizes the Department, on report of a communicable disease, to exercise the Title 31 and Title 38 powers 'including social distancing, as determined necessary to control the spread of disease,' to isolate, quarantine, require surveillance, require vaccination, examination and treatment, restrict travel, limit or cancel public gatherings and close any facility that 'may pose a danger to public health,' and to implement any measure 'through the issuance of an administrative order'; during a declared state of emergency the Department 'shall establish any other public health control measures necessary to prevent and suppress disease... as directed by the Governor' (.03(5)). Rule.05(1)(a): a written isolation or quarantine order 'shall be issued when voluntary measures are deemed impracticable or ineffective. Orders shall become effective immediately upon issuance.'
Retrieval noteThe Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations site (chapter page, current text as of September 28, 2026) rendered to PDF; the individual rule pages carry the amendment history and load by script only, so the history was not captured. Corroboration that this text was in force in March 2020: the ACCG memorandum of March 17, 2020 (Ex. DUT-GA-018) cites Rules 511-9-1-.03(1), (2)(g), (4), (5),.04(d) and.05(1)(b) for the same powers in the same words.