Enhanced Surveillance Advisories and Public Health Emergencies (Arizona Revised Statutes: Title 36 - Public Health and Safety; Chapter 6 – Public Health Control; Article 9)

This article of the Arizona Revised Statutes provides for enhanced surveillance advisories and public health emergencies. It states that, during a state of emergency or state of war emergency declared by the governor in which there is an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or health condition caused by bioterrorism, an epidemic or pandemic disease or a highly fatal infectious agent or biological toxin and that poses a substantial risk of a significant number of human fatalities or incidents of permanent or long term disability, the department shall coordinate all matters pertaining to the public health emergency response of the state. The department of public safety has primary jurisdiction, responsibility and authority for planning and executing public health emergency assessment, mitigation, preparedness response and recovery for this state; coordinating public health emergency response among state, local and tribal authorities; collaborating with relevant federal government authorities, elected officials of other states, private organizations and private sector companies; coordinating recovery operations and mitigation initiatives subsequent to public health emergencies; organizing public information activities regarding state public health emergency response operations; establishing, in conjunction with applicable professional licensing boards, a process for temporary waiver of the professional licensure requirements necessary for the implementation of any measures required to adequately address the state of emergency or state of war emergency; and granting temporary waivers of health care institution licensure requirements necessary for implementation of any measures required to adequately address the state of emergency or state of war emergency.