2006 New Mexico Statutes - Section 12-10A-3 — Definitions.

12-10A-3. Definitions.

As used in the Public Health Emergency Response Act [ 12-10A-1 to 12-10A-19 NMSA 1978]:   

A.     "attorney general" means the attorney general for the state of New Mexico;   

B.     "court" means the district court for the judicial district where a public health emergency is occurring, the district court for Santa Fe county or, in the event that a district court cannot adequately provide services, a district court designated by the New Mexico supreme court;   

C.     "director" means the director of homeland security;   

D.     "health care supplies" means medication, durable medical equipment, instruments, linens or any other material that the state of New Mexico may need to use in a public health emergency, including supplies for preparedness, mitigation and recovery;   

E.     "health facility" means:   

(1)     a facility licensed by the state of New Mexico pursuant to the provisions of the Public Health Act [ 24-1-1 to 24-1-22 NMSA 1978];   

(2)     a non-federal facility or building, whether public or private, for-profit or nonprofit, that is used, operated or designed to provide health services, medical treatment, nursing services, rehabilitative services or preventive care;   

(3)     a federal facility, when the appropriate federal entity provides its consent; or   

(4)     the following properties when they are used for, or in connection with, health-related activities:   

(a)     laboratories;   

(b)     research facilities;   

(c)     pharmacies;   

(d)     laundry facilities;   

(e)     health personnel training and lodging facilities;   

(f)     patient, guest and health personnel food service facilities; and   

(g)     offices or office buildings used by persons engaged in health care professions or services;   

F.     "isolation" means the physical separation for possible medical care of persons who are infected or who are reasonably believed to be infected with a threatening communicable disease or potential threatening communicable disease from non-isolated persons, to protect against the transmission of the threatening communicable disease to non-isolated persons;   

G.     "public health emergency" means the occurrence or imminent threat of exposure to an extremely dangerous condition or a highly infectious or toxic agent, including a threatening communicable disease, that poses an imminent threat of substantial harm to the population of the state of New Mexico or any portion thereof;   

H.     "public health official" means the secretary of health or his designee, including a qualified public individual or group or a qualified private individual or group, as determined by the secretary of health;   

I.     "quarantine" means the precautionary physical separation of persons who have or may have been exposed to a threatening communicable disease or a potentially threatening communicable disease and who do not show signs or symptoms of a threatening communicable disease, from non-quarantined persons, to protect against the transmission of the disease to non-quarantined persons;   

J.     "secretary of health" means the secretary of health or his designee;   

K.     "secretary of public safety" means the secretary of public safety or his designee; and   

L.     "threatening communicable disease" means a disease that causes death or great bodily harm that passes from one person to another and for which there are no means by which the public can reasonably avoid the risk of contracting the disease. "Threatening communicable disease" does not include acquired immune deficiency syndrome or other infections caused by the human immunodeficiency virus.