§26-13  Department of health.  (a)  Thedepartment of health shall be headed by a single executive to be known as thedirector of health.

There shall be, within the department ofhealth, an advisory board to be known as the board of health, which shall advisethe director of health on matters within the jurisdiction of the department ofhealth.  The board of health shall consist of eleven voting members appointedby the governor as provided in section 26-34 and shall include the director of[human services] as an ex officio nonvoting member.  The appointed membersshall include at least one resident of each of the major counties including thecounty of Kalawao.  The appointed members shall serve without compensation butshall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for theperformance of their duties.

The department shall administer programsdesigned to protect, preserve, care for, and improve the physical and mentalhealth of the people of the State.  Without limit to the generality of theforegoing, the programs shall include the administration and enforcement ofmatters and laws of public health of the State, including the state hospital,but excluding assistance and care for the indigent and the medically indigent.

(b)  The functions and authority heretoforeexercised by the board of health (excluding assistance and care for theindigent and the medically indigent) and the department of institutions withrespect to the state hospital and the dental health treatment function of thedepartment of public instruction as heretofore constituted are transferred tothe department of health established by this chapter.

The governor shall define and differentiatedental health treatment from dental health instruction and shall provide forthe gradual transfer of any personnel within the definition of dental healthtreatment to the department of health.  This section shall not be construed torequire the transfer from the department of education to the department ofhealth of any dental hygienist having a teacher's certificate and employed bythe department of public instruction immediately prior to November 25,1959. [L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §19; Supp, §14A-18; HRS §26-13; am L 1974, c 252, §1;am L 1983, c 260, §1; am L 1995, c 189, §§1, 26; am L 1998, c 133, §5]

 

Cross References

 

  Waimano ridge; approval and authorization for new or expandeduses, see §171-64.5.