Duties of Commissioner

  1. Law
  2. Tennessee Code
  3. Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
  4. Department of Health
  5. General Provisions
  6. Duties of Commissioner

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The department of health shall have the general supervision of the interests of health and life of the citizens of this state. The commissioner shall:

  1. Especially study the vital statistics of this state, and endeavor to make intelligent and profitable use of the records of sickness and death among the people;
  2. Make sanitary investigations and inquiries respecting the causes of disease, especially epidemics, the causes of death, effects of employment, habits, localities and circumstances, upon the health of the people;
  3. Advise, when the commissioner deems it necessary, in reference to location, water supply, drainage, and ventilation of any public institutions;
  4. From time to time, recommend works upon the subject of hygiene for the use of the schools of this state;
  5. Have the authority to petition the chancery court of Davidson County for judicial review, pursuant to § 4-5-322, of any final order of any board or similar multi-member agency administered by or administratively assigned to the department. This subdivision (5) shall not apply to the boards created by title 59, chapter 8; chapter 201 or chapter 211 of this title; or title 69, chapter 3;
  6. Have the authority to appoint administrative judges from the administrative procedures division of the office of the secretary of state, pursuant to § 4-5-301, to hear contested cases before the department, and contested cases before any board or similar multi-member agency administered by or administratively assigned to the department, upon the request of such board or agency. These boards and agencies are authorized to utilize such administrative judges; and
    1. Develop a grant program for research and development in the area of solid waste disposal technologies to include, but not be limited to, the following options:
      1. Reducing the use of landfills;
      2. Source separation;
      3. Recycling;
      4. Retrieval;
      5. Mass burn;
      6. Private sector involvement; and
      7. Educating the public on the importance of separation; and
    2. Develop standards and guidelines for the submission of proposals for grant applications under the program established by this subdivision (7) and for the manner in which such grant applications will be selected and approved. The amount of the grant shall be as provided in the general appropriations act each fiscal year.


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