SB617:

Health, Commissioner of, and local health director; qualifications, local variances.

Bill Summary:

Commissioner of Health and local health director
qualifications; local variances. Requires the Commissioner of
Health to possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public
Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public health
in addition to the current requirement that the Commissioner of Health
be a physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth
with certification from the American Board of Preventive Medicine
or a recognized board in a primary care specialty as approved by
the American Board of Medical Specialties. The bill allows local
health directors to possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master
of Public Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public
health as an alternative to the current requirement that local health
directors be physicians licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth.
Additionally, the bill allows the Commissioner to grant a variance
to a state law or regulation of the Board when the Commissioner determines
that, upon review of an application from a county, city, or town,
(i) the applicant for such variance has demonstrated that the implementation
of a regulation would impose a substantial financial or programmatic
hardship and (ii) the variance would not adversely affect the safety
and well-being of residents of the county, city, or town or the Commonwealth.