§ 2797. Tick-borne disease institute. 1. There is hereby established within the department the tick-borne disease institute. The institute shall have responsibility for administering the provisions of this article and otherwise coordinating the state's policies with respect to lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

2. The commissioner shall appoint a director to the institute and may assign such personnel within the amounts appropriated as is necessary to carry out the provisions of this article.