Senate Bill 5 aims to take power away from county health officers and put some decisions into the hands of elected officials.
This stems from the different county responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
Good evening ... i'm chris mullooly.
Thanks for joining us.indiana health officials are worried about a piece of legislation that could alter the public health decision-making process.
Fox 55's kelsey mannix spoke with a co-author of the bill and with health officers who oppose it.
Dr. mark souder, dekalb county health souder, dekalb dr. mark dr. mark souder, dekalb county health officer: "the buck stops with the health officer in our county."that could soon change if senate bill 5 is signed into law.the bill aims to take power away from county health officers and put some decisions into the hands of elected officials.this stems from the different county responses to the coronavirus pandemic.sen.
Liz brown, : "some county health commissioners who may have been overly cautious and didn't have the information they needed, or maybe didn't have the skills they needed, were more draconian in their responses."republican state senator liz brown co-authored the bill and says it doesn't completely strip officials of their authority.sen.
Liz brown, : "it says we're gonna have a little bit of an appeals process here so we can sort of put a pause and have someone else do a check and balance."officials strongly spoke out against the bill at an indiana public health association conference call today.they say politicians aren't the best people to be making public health decisions.
Dr. jeremy adler, tippecanoe county health officer "most of whom lack the expertise needed to properly engage in unusually complex public health subjects."and the bill encompasses all public health matters.dr. jeremy adler, tippecanoe county health officer: "these elected officials would now be responsible for restaurants experiencing outbreaks of e.
Coli, norovirus and hepatitis a.
If there's an appeal the infected restaurant could stay open.dr. mark souder, dekalb county health officer: "that should be an immediate close and there shouldn't be any rebuttal from the legislature for it."brown says she wants to see more consistency...but health officials say all counties are different and they make the best decisions for their communities.dr. mark souder, dekalb county health officer: "the responsibility should be left with the health department and the health officer to make critical decisions about public health."
In fort wayne i'm kelsey mannix, fox55 news.
The bill passed through the house and is going through its final steps in the senate before being sent to
Senate Bill 263 says state and political subdivisions, like county health departments, have to allow for religious activities to..
Bill dealing with authority of health officials draws concern from Public Health Association