2017 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 23 - Health and Safety
Chapter 23-8 - Quarantine Generally
Section 23-8-4 - Quarantine.
§ 23-8-4. Quarantine.
If the state director of health, or his or her duly authorized agent, determines, upon investigation, that a threat to the public health exists because any person is suffering, or appears to be suffering, from a communicable disease, the director or his or her authorized agent may require or provide that person to be confined, in some proper place, for the purpose of isolation or quarantine, or another less restrictive intervention treatment, including, but not limited to, immunization, treatment, exclusion or other protective actions until the threat to the public health has abated. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a person who is unable or unwilling for reasons of health, religion, or conscience to undergo immunization or treatment from choosing to submit to quarantine or isolation as an alternative to immunization or treatment. Orders under this chapter shall be in accordance with the procedures for compliance order and immediate compliance orders set forth in §§ 23-1-20 - 23-1-24. A person subject to quarantine under this section shall be entitled to file a petition for relief from such order at any time, included, but not limited to, a petition based upon compliance with a treatment under less restrictive alternatives.
History of Section.
(G.L. 1896, ch. 94, § 15; G.L. 1909, ch. 110, § 15; G.L. 1923, ch. 154, § 15; G.L. 1938, ch. 256, § 15; G.L. 1956, § 23-8-4; P.L. 1967, ch. 60, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 185, § 2; P.L. 2003, ch. 189, § 2.)
