Bill > HB158

This bill amends Delaware's emergency planning laws by renaming the Public Health Emergency Planning Commission to the Public Health Emergency Planning Council and making several substantive changes. The bill updates definitions related to contagious diseases, modifies language around isolation and quarantine procedures to emphasize public health authority, and establishes new requirements for the Council's operation. Specifically, the Council must now meet at least once per year and is required to convene within 15 days of a public health emergency declaration to discuss and evaluate the emergency response in an advisory capacity to the Governor. The bill also mandates that the Council meet every 30 days during a public health emergency and continue to review the Public Health Emergency Operations Coordination Plan every two years. The changes include gender-neutral language updates, clarifications about vaccination and treatment procedures during emergencies, and provisions ensuring that medical interventions will not cause serious harm to individuals. The bill maintains the Council's role in establishing a hospital biopreparedness planning subcommittee and preserving the statewide emergency response plan, while providing more structured oversight and periodic review of emergency preparedness protocols.

Health and Social Services

https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142231