Bill > H2551

This bill establishes a new registry of public health volunteer personnel managed by the Department of Public Health, which would allow the state to maintain a pool of trained volunteers who can be called upon during medical emergencies or public health crises. The registry would allow the department to verify volunteers' credentials, potentially including background checks and professional licensure, and can activate these volunteers under specific circumstances such as a gubernatorial emergency declaration, a public health incident requiring urgent response, or when local healthcare resources are exhausted. When activated, volunteer registry members would be treated as state employees for legal protection purposes, which means they would receive worker injury compensation and liability protections similar to regular government employees. The department would have the authority to set membership requirements, establish credentialing processes, and create regulations governing the volunteer registry. Volunteers could be activated not only during actual emergencies but also for training and preparedness exercises related to potential emergency responses. The bill defines "local public health authority" broadly to include city and town health boards and regional health districts, ensuring flexibility in how volunteers might be deployed during a public health need.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2551