The COVID Project
The record
- Jurisdiction
- California
- Level
- State
- Authority
- Cal. Const. art. IV; Health and Safety Code recodification, Stats. 1995, ch. 415, sec. 7 (eff. Jan. 1, 1996); sec. 120130 as amended by Stats. 2011, ch. 540, sec. 2 (AB 186) (eff. Jan. 1, 2012)
- Issued
- 1996-01-01 Jan. 1, 1996
- Effective
- 1996-01-01
- End
- standing (read as 2021-09-30)
- In force
- Standing since Jan. 1, 1996 (a statutory duty; in force throughout the six quarters)
- Quarters
- 2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
- Limitation types
- Business closureQuarantine and isolationStanding dutyOther
- Addressees
- persons generally; owners or persons in control of premises ('houses, rooms, other property, places'); the department and every local health officer
- Character
- statutory authority
- Collection
- Standing duties: California DUT-CA
Operative words
120145. The department may quarantine, isolate, inspect, and disinfect persons, animals, houses, rooms, other property, places, cities, or localities, whenever in its judgment the action is necessary to protect or preserve the public health.... 120140.... the department may take measures as are necessary to ascertain the nature of the disease and prevent its spread.
Penalty
Violation of section 120130 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $50 to $1,000 or imprisonment up to 90 days or both, a separate offense for each day (section 120295; DUT-CA-003); refusal to conform to a department rule, order or regulation respecting quarantine or disinfection is a misdemeanor (section 120275; DUT-CA-003).
What it required
Gave the State Department of Public Health statewide power to quarantine, isolate, inspect and disinfect persons and places, to adopt and enforce isolation and quarantine regulations (section 120130(c)), to authorize local health officers to require isolation or quarantine (section 120130(d)) and to take whatever measures are necessary to prevent spread (section 120140), the authority recited in every State Public Health Officer order in the library (CA-010, CA-015, CA-017, CA-020, CA-029). Character as recorded: statutory_authority (enabling power; binds through the orders issued under it).
Retrieval noteOfficial Legislative Counsel text as displayed Sept. 28, 2026 (the filename date is the rendering date, as for LAW-006). The history notes in the exhibit show sections 120125, 120135, 120140, 120145 and 120150 carrying their 1995 text without amendment ('Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1996.') and section 120130 last amended in 2011; the sections in force in 2020-2021 are therefore the sections shown. Sections added in 2018-2025 (e.g., section 120155 series) are not relied on. Section 120130(c): 'The department may from time to time adopt and enforce regulations requiring strict or modified isolation, or quarantine, for any of the contagious, infectious, or communicable diseases, if in the opinion of the department the action is necessary for the protection of the public health.' Section 120130(d): 'The health officer may require strict or modified isolation, or quarantine, for any case of contagious, infectious, or communicable disease, when this action is necessary for the protection of the public health.'.