Subchapter I. Commissioner of Public Health.

§ 7–101. Appointment; duties generally.

The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall appoint a physician as Commissioner of Public Health, whose duty it shall be, under the direction of the said Mayor, to execute and enforce all laws and regulations relating to the public health and vital statistics, and to perform all such duties as may be assigned to him by said Mayor.

(June 11, 1878, 20 Stat. 107, ch. 180, § 8; Aug. 1, 1950, 64 Stat. 393, ch. 513, § 1.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 6-101.

1973 Ed., § 6-101.

Editor's Notes

Office of Director of Public Health abolished: Section 1 of the Act of August 1, 1950, 64 Stat. 393, ch. 513, provided that the Health Officer of the District of Columbia would be known as the Director of Public Health. The Health Department of the District of Columbia, including the office of the head thereof, was abolished and the functions thereof transferred to the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia by Reorganization Plan No. 5 of 1952. Reorganization Order No. 57 of the Board of Commissioners, dated June 30, 1953, and Reorganization Order No. 52, dated June 30, 1953, combined and redesignated Organization Order No. 141, dated February 11, 1964, established under the direction and control of a Commissioner, a Department of Public Health headed by a Director, for the purpose of planning, implementing, and directing public health and hospital care programs, and for performing certain other allied medical and paramedical functions. The Anatomical Board was established under the direction and control of the Director of Public Health consisting of members as prescribed in the D.C. Code. The Order prior to redesignation abolished the previously existing Health Department, Gallinger Hospital, Glenn Dale Sanatorium, and the Anatomical Board and transferred their functions and positions to the new Department. The organization of the new Department was set out in the Order. The executive functions of the Board of Commissioners were transferred to the Commissioner of the District of Columbia by § 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967. Functions stated in Organization Order No. 141 were transferred to the Director of the Department of Human Resources by Commissioner’s Order No. 69-96, dated March 7, 1969, as amended by Commissioner’s Order No. 70-83, dated March 6, 1970. The Department of Human Resources was replaced by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1979, dated February 21, 1980, which Plan established the Department of Human Services.

Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1979 established the Office of Public Health, headed by a Commissioner of Public Health, in the Department of Human Services.

Department of Human Services established: Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1986 re-established the Department of Human Services, headed by a Director.

Mayor's Orders

Establishment of the Mayor’s Study Commission on the Public Sector Health Care Delivery System: See Mayor’s Order 90-102, July 17, 1990.

Establishment of the Health System Reorganization Office: See Mayor’s Order 90-105, July 25, 1990.

Change in Government

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.

§ 7–102. Enforcement of vital statistics regulations. [Repealed]

Repealed.

§ 7–103. Sanitary Inspectors — Appointment; qualifications; subordinates.

There may be appointed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia, on the recommendation of the Director of the Department of Human Services, a reasonable number of Sanitary Inspectors for said District, to hold such appointment at any 1 time, of whom 2 may be physicians, and 1 shall be a person skilled in the matters of drainage and ventilation; and said Mayor may remove any of the subordinates, and from time to time may prescribe the duties of each.

(June 11, 1878, 20 Stat. 107, ch. 180, § 9; Aug. 1, 1950, 64 Stat. 393, ch. 513, § 1; Mar. 2, 2007, D.C. Law 16-191, § 6(a), 53 DCR 6794.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 6-103.

1973 Ed., § 6-104.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 16-191 validated a previously made technical correction.

Editor's Notes

Office of Director of Public Health abolished: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 7-101.

Change in Government

§ 7–104. Sanitary Inspectors — Reports.

Said Inspectors shall be respectively required to make, at least once in 2 weeks, a report to said Director of the Department of Human Services, in writing, of their inspections, which shall be preserved on file.

§ 7–105. Report by Director.

Said Director of the Department of Human Services shall report in writing annually to said Mayor of the District of Columbia, and so much oftener as he shall require.

(June 11, 1878, 20 Stat. 107, ch. 180, § 9; Aug. 1, 1950, 64 Stat. 393, ch. 513, § 1; Mar. 2, 2007, D.C. Law 16-191, § 6(a), 53 DCR 6794.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 6-105.

1973 Ed., § 6-106.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 16-191 validated a previously made technical correction.

Editor's Notes

Office of Director of Public Health abolished: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 7-101.

Change in Government

§ 7–106. Clerks to Director.

The Mayor of the District of Columbia may appoint, on the like recommendation of the Director of the Department of Human Services, a reasonable number of clerks, but no greater number shall be appointed, and no more persons shall be employed under said Director of the Department of Human Services, than the public interests demand and the appropriation shall justify.

(June 11, 1878, 20 Stat. 107, ch. 180, § 10; Aug. 1, 1950, 64 Stat. 393, ch. 513, § 1; Mar. 2, 2007, D.C. Law 16-191, § 6(b), 53 DCR 6794.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 6-106.

1973 Ed., § 6-107.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 16-191 validated a previously made technical correction.

Editor's Notes

Office of Director of Public Health abolished: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 7-101.

Change in Government

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act. 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.