Overview of Remedies Available to Enforce Public Health Laws

Handout from presentation at the 30th Annual Local Health Directors' Legal Conference.

The outline first addresses the remedies available to address violations of laws found in Chapter 130A of the General Statutes. Chapter 130A incorporates many of the state’s public health laws, including laws governing on-site wastewater, food and lodging, childhood lead exposure, and communicable disease control. The remedies identified in Chapter 130A are also available to enforce local board of health rules, such local private drinking water well rules and on-site wastewater rules. A separate section of the outline addresses the remedies available to enforce state laws governing private drinking water wells, which are slightly different remedies because the laws are found in Chapter 87 of the General Statutes. The remedies in Chapter 87 are available only if the health department is enforcing the state drinking water rules.