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Health bills get House support
By Associated Press
CONCORD - The House on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to plans to boost health officials? power to respond to Triple E and other public health threats like avian flu.
The two bills - one addressing mosquito control and the other aimed at a possible flu pandemic - will be examined by the House Finance Committee before getting a final vote in the House.
Under the avian flu bill, Health Commissioner John Stephen would be given power to control and ration medicine in health emergencies. He?d also be given the power, with the governor?s approval, to close and decontaminate buildings and cancel events if they endanger public health.
The House also passed a bill dealing with mosquito-borne illnesses such as Triple E.
Two people died last year, a 20-year-old Newton woman and an 80-year-old Hooksett man, and five others were hospitalized with the virus.
The bill gives police and health officials the right to order the removal of standing water that could breed mosquitoes. Under some circumstances, if the water is not removed, officials could remove the hazard at the property owner?s expense.
The bill also sets out requirements for towns or groups of towns to get money for mosquito spraying. [snip...rest of article is off topic]
nline.com/news/04132006/news/97436.htm
By Associated Press
CONCORD - The House on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to plans to boost health officials? power to respond to Triple E and other public health threats like avian flu.
The two bills - one addressing mosquito control and the other aimed at a possible flu pandemic - will be examined by the House Finance Committee before getting a final vote in the House.
Under the avian flu bill, Health Commissioner John Stephen would be given power to control and ration medicine in health emergencies. He?d also be given the power, with the governor?s approval, to close and decontaminate buildings and cancel events if they endanger public health.
The House also passed a bill dealing with mosquito-borne illnesses such as Triple E.
Two people died last year, a 20-year-old Newton woman and an 80-year-old Hooksett man, and five others were hospitalized with the virus.
The bill gives police and health officials the right to order the removal of standing water that could breed mosquitoes. Under some circumstances, if the water is not removed, officials could remove the hazard at the property owner?s expense.
The bill also sets out requirements for towns or groups of towns to get money for mosquito spraying. [snip...rest of article is off topic]
nline.com/news/04132006/news/97436.htm