Release - Hearing for bill that transforms state's response to public health emergencies - 04/03/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 3, 2007 Contact: Patrick Golden
617-722-213
Boston – State Rep. Peter Koutoujian, D-Waltham, today announced the Joint Committee on Public Health is considering first-of-its-kind legislation that can help the state to avoid a Hurricane Katrina-like breakdown in government responsiveness.
It creates a specially-triggered rapid-response system of top government leaders that can efficiently coordinate its efforts to ensure the effects of a public health disaster, such as a flu pandemic, are minimized. Current practice leaves the decision and subsequent action with the governor.
The Public Health Committee will hear the bill tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4 at 10 a.m. in Gardner Auditorium at the State House.
“We realize this represents a different way of doing things and are aware we will face opposition to our plan,” said Koutoujian. “Our bill will ensue we avoid a Hurricane Katrina-like scenario, where multiple government agencies were painfully slow in responding to the disaster because it was unclear which would act,” said Koutoujian. “With this law, both the government and the public will know who is accountable for responding to an emergency and how vital resources can be dispersed and obtained.”
Under current law, the Governor has the authority to declare a state of emergency. The proposed “Act Creating a Council on Remediation of Public Health Emergencies” allows the Commonwealth to respond more quickly and efficiently to public health disasters by allowing the House of Representatives and Senate – through a joint resolution– to declare a public health disaster is occurring and convene a special seven-member council to respond to the threat.
The council includes the Governor, Speaker of the House, Senate President, secretaries of the Executive office of Public Safety, Health and Human Services, Transportation & Construction and the Department of Education Commissioner.
The types of public health emergencies in which the council would convene include those that pose an imminent threat of illness or deaths to a significant proportion of the Commonwealth, and are caused by an infectious and contagious disease, a chemical attack or accidental release, a nuclear attack or an act of bioterrorism.
The council will have the authority to vote on mitigation strategies including:
Restriction of public gatherings
Travel advisories
Recommendations for voluntary isolation of infected and uninfected populations
Closure of Schools
Limitations on Public Transportation
Recommendations for widespread use of disposable masks or other personal protective equipment
The bill also calls for the creation of a special advisory committee to assist the council and its staff in formulating policies, procedures and guidelines in the planning for and responding to public health emergencies and the distribution of necessities needed to preserve the public’s heath, such as food, water, shelter, medicine, vaccines and health care. The Department of Public Health Commissioner will serve as chairperson of the advisory committee.
The council will have the ability to establish and maintain a public health emergency remediation consumer information Web site containing information about public health emergencies and advise the public about the current situation regarding the emergency. It will also have the authority to establish and maintain a 24 hour recorded telephone hotline in order to communicate updates the public and offer guidance during a public health emergency.
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