ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
REVISED
rabies quarantine;
procedures
Places authority to declare
a rabies quarantine area with the county board of supervisors.
Each county board of health is comprised of members appointed by the county board of supervisors and consists of one member of the county board of supervisors, one licensed physician and a majority of citizen members. The number of citizen members on each board is dependent upon the size of the county. Citizen members are not employed by the county health department and are ineligible for compensation. Each county board of health is responsible for making recommendations on rules for the protection and preservation of public health. Additionally, current statute stipulates that county boards of health are responsible for declaring rabies quarantine areas within their areas of jurisdiction.
During the spring of 2001, Coconino County experienced a rabies outbreak in the skunk population and needed to declare a rabies quarantine area in order to keep domestic pets indoors while they trapped, vaccinated and subsequently released the skunks. However, according to Coconino County, the composition of the County Board of Health made it difficult to get a quorum of members present to declare the quarantine.
S.B. 1283 places the authority to declare a rabies quarantine with the county board of supervisors. There are no known fiscal impacts to the state general fund relating to the provisions of this bill.
1. Repeals the authority of a county board of health to declare a rabies quarantine area and places the authority to declare a rabies quarantine area, on recommendation of the county board of health or the local health department, with the county board of supervisors.
2. Requires the county board of supervisors, if a quarantine is declared, to meet with the county board of health and the county enforcement agency to institute an emergency program for the control of rabies.
3. Requires the State Veterinarian to develop rather than approve the regulation of livestock movement in a rabies quarantine area.
4. Makes technical changes.
5. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Allows a local health department to recommend the declaration of a rabies quarantine area to the county board of supervisors.
2. Requires the State Veterinarian to develop rather than approve the regulation of livestock movement in a rabies quarantine area.
Senate Action
NRAE 3/14/02 DPA 6-0-2-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 18, 2002