Increased accountability measures for State Health Officer adopted by Alabama Committee of Public Health

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and the State Committee of Public Health adopted an administrative rule change to the State Health Officer’s emergency powers on Thursday.  The change, while straightforward, addresses concerns expressed by state legislators in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent prevention measures implemented across the country by local, state and federal governments.  In a unanimous vote, the committee moved to prevent the State Health Officer from issuing or authorizing any emergency powers during a pandemic without the governor’s direct consent,