RSA Chapter 127 — District Departments of Health

Title X — Public Health

Current through the 2025 Regular Session of the New Hampshire General Court.

Title X Public Health

RSA 127:1 Authority Granted

Any town by vote at town meeting and any city by vote of the city councils may unite with any other town or city to form a district department of health. The affairs of any such district department of health shall be managed by a board as hereinafter provided.

Source. 1949, 203:1, eff. May 20, 1949.

RSA 127:2 Board

The selectmen of each town and the city councils of each city, which has so voted to become a part of any such district, shall appoint annually 2 persons to be members of such board. Provided that any town or city having a population of more than 5,000 inhabitants, as determined by the last completed United States census, shall be entitled to one additional representative on said board for each 5,000 population or part thereof.

Source. 1949, 203:2, eff. May 20, 1949.

RSA 127:3 Organization

Each board annually shall elect a chairperson and a district treasurer and shall determine the relative amount of service to be performed in each town or city within the district by persons employed by the board and shall furnish the necessary offices and equipment to enable it to carry out its duties. The fiscal year of each district department of health shall be from July 1 to June 30 and, during the month of June in each year, the board shall estimate the amount of money required to pay the costs and expenses of the district during the ensuing fiscal year.

Source. 1949, 203:3. 1997, 200:1, eff. Aug. 17, 1997.

RSA 127:4 Payments

From time to time the board shall draw upon the treasurer of each town or city within the district for such funds as may have been apportioned to each to pay the costs of operating the district. Such apportionment shall be based upon the population of the towns and cities in the district.

Source. 1949, 203:4, eff. May 20, 1949.

RSA 127:5 Health Officer

The board shall appoint some discreet person, possessing the qualifications hereinafter specified, to be health officer for such district. If the district health officer shall not be elected within 60 days from the formation of any such district, or in case a vacancy in said office shall continue to exist for 60 days or more, such officer shall be appointed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services. Upon the appointment of a health officer under the provisions of this section, the terms of office of the health officers of the towns or cities forming such district shall terminate.

Source. 1949, 203:5. 1995, 310:182, eff. Nov. 1, 1995.

RSA 127:6 Qualifications

The district health officer shall have a bachelor's or graduate degree in public health, medicine, sanitary engineering, environmental health, microbiology, or general sanitation and at least one year of work experience in the field of public health. The district health officer shall be removed only for cause after a public hearing by the board on charges preferred of which reasonable notice shall have been given. The district health officer shall perform such duties as are required of health officers by the general laws of the state and as the state shall determine and shall act as secretary of the board, but shall not have a right to vote.

Source. 1949, 203:6. RSA 127:6. 1983, 291:1, I. 1985, 190:34. 1995, 310:181, 182. 1997, 200:2, eff. Aug. 17, 1997.

RSA 127:7 District Treasurer

The district treasurer shall disburse the money received from the towns and cities in the district and from other sources upon warrants approved by a majority of the board and signed by the chairperson and secretary. The treasurer shall give bond to the district for the faithful performance of the duties as treasurer in such sums and upon such conditions as the board may require.

Source. 1947, 203:7. 1997, 200:3, eff. Aug. 17, 1997.

RSA 127:8 Employees

The district health officer shall be the executive officer of the district department of health and shall appoint all necessary assistants or clerks subject to the approval of the board. Such employees shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the district health officer and receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the board.

Source. 1949, 203:8, eff. May 20, 1949.

RSA 127:9 Appropriations

Any town, or city councils of any city, at any legal meeting, may grant and vote such sums of money as it shall judge necessary for the purpose of paying the apportionment of said town or city as a member of any district department of health.

Source. 1949, 203:9, eff. May 20, 1949.

RSA 127:10 Additional Funds

Any district department of health organized hereunder is authorized to use any additional funds which the department of health and human services may secure from federal agencies or other official agencies and which it may allot to such district department of health.

Source. 1949, 203:11. RSA 127:10. 1983, 291:1, I. 1995, 310:181, eff. Nov. 1, 1995.

RSA 127:11 Withdrawal From District

Any town or the city council of any city, which has voted to unite with another town or city to form a district department of health, may vote to withdraw from the district. Such withdrawal shall not become effective until the first day of July following such vote of withdrawal.

Source. 1949, 203:10, eff. May 20, 1949.

RSA 127:12 Repealed by 2025, 266:3, IX, eff. Aug. 1, 2025

[Repealed]