The COVID Project
The record
- Jurisdiction
- Maryland
- Level
- State
- Authority
- Md. Const. art. III (legislative power); police power of the State
- Effective
- in force throughout 2020 Q2 to 2021 Q3
- End
- standing (read as 2021-09-30)
- In force
- Standing (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 closureWorkplace rulesStanding duty
- Addressees
- the Secretary of Health; through the regulations and directives issued under it, persons generally, businesses and facilities
- Character
- statutory duty
- Collection
- Standing duties: Maryland DUT-MD
Operative words
(a) The Secretary shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to prevent:... (2) The spread of an infectious or contagious disease.... (b) When the Secretary has reason to believe that [such a] disease... exists within the State, the Secretary shall: (1) Investigate the suspected disease; and (2) Act properly to prevent the spread of the disease.
Penalty
Directives issued in a catastrophic health emergency are enforced by Health-Gen. § 18-907 (misdemeanor; 1 year or $3,000) and Pub. Safety § 14-3A-08 (misdemeanor; 1 year or $5,000); business cessation orders under COMAR 10.06.01.06C
What it required
Commanded the Secretary of Health to regulate against, investigate and act to prevent the spread of any infectious or contagious disease in the State; the statutory footing of every MDH Directive and Order in the library and of COMAR 10.06.01.
Retrieval noteRecited as authority in COMAR 10.06.01 (Ex. DUT-MD-014, Authority line: Health-General Article, §§ 2-104(b), 18-102, 18-103, 18-105, 18-201...). Companion sections read on mgaleg.maryland.gov (not saved): § 18-101 (Secretary shall investigate the causes of disease and epidemics and 'the influence of locality, employment, habit, and other conditions on health'); § 18-103 (Secretary shall 'devise means to control communicable diseases').