(a) Each board may make and adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the promotion of general health within the district not in conflict with law or with the general statutes or regulations of Connecticut state agencies. The powers of each district shall include but not be limited to the following enumerated powers: (1) To sue and be sued; (2) to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the health district; (3) to make and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, rules and regulations; (4) to acquire real estate; (5) to provide for the financing of the programs, projects or other functions of the district in the manner described in subsection (b) of this section; (6) to join an existing health district; and (7) to have such other powers as are necessary to properly carry out its powers as an independent entity of government.

(b) A district may, without limiting its authority under other provisions of law, borrow money for the purpose of carrying out or administering a district project, program or other function authorized under this chapter, or for the purpose of refinancing existing indebtedness, or temporarily in anticipation of receipt of current revenues, and provided the board shall hold a public hearing on any such proposed borrowing which is estimated by the board to increase the annual apportionment of district expenses made pursuant to subsection (c) of this section by more than seven per cent over levels currently established. The board shall give one week's notice of such hearing in a newspaper having a circulation in each constituent municipality of the district. The district may enter into note, loan or other agreements providing that such borrowings shall be payable from or secured by one or more of the following: (1) A pledge, lien, mortgage or other security interest in any or all of the income, proceeds, revenues and property, real or personal, of its projects, assets, programs or other functions, including the proceeds of payments, grants, loans, advances, guarantees or contributions from the federal government, the state of Connecticut, the constituent municipalities of the district or any other source; or (2) a pledge, lien, mortgage or other security interest in the property, real or personal, of projects to be financed by the borrowing. Such borrowings and obligations shall not constitute an indebtedness within the meaning of any debt limitation or restrictions on, and shall not be obligations of, the state of Connecticut or any municipality. No constituent municipality of a district shall be liable for any such borrowing or obligation of the district upon default. Neither members of the board nor any person executing on behalf of the district any note, mortgage, pledge, loan, security or other agreement in connection with the borrowing of money by a district shall be personally liable on the obligations thereunder or be subject to any personal liability or accountability by reason of the entrance into such agreements. Each pledge, agreement or assignment made for the benefit or security of any such borrowing entered into pursuant to this subsection shall be in effect until the principal and interest on such borrowing for the benefit of which the same were made have been fully paid, or until provision is made for the payment in the manner provided therein. Any pledge or assignment made in respect of such borrowing secured thereby shall be valid and binding from the time when the pledge or assignment is made; any income, proceeds, revenues or property so pledged or assigned and thereafter received by the district shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge, without any physical delivery thereof or further act; and the lien of any such pledge or assignment shall be valid and binding as against parties having claims of any kind in tort, contract or otherwise against the district irrespective of whether such parties have notice thereof. Neither the resolution, trust indenture, agreement, assignment or other instrument by which a pledge is created need be recorded or filed, except for the recording of any mortgage or lien on real property or on any interest in real property.

(c) The board shall meet at least quarterly and at other times determined by the chairperson. At its September meeting it shall elect a chairperson and it shall furnish the necessary offices and equipment to enable it to carry out its duties. The board may elect an executive committee, consisting of the chairperson and two other members, and the director of health, who shall serve without a vote, and such executive committee shall have power to act when the board is not in session. The fiscal year of each district department of health shall be from July first to June thirtieth, and, by June thirtieth 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, provided, if any municipality within the district has a fiscal year which begins on July first, such estimate shall be made by April thirtieth of each year. Such board shall hold a public hearing on its proposed budget, two weeks' notice of which shall be given in a newspaper having a circulation in each constituent municipality of such district. From time to time the board shall draw upon the treasurer of each town, city or borough within the district a proportionate share of the expenses of such district, from such funds as may have been appropriated by each, to pay the cost of operating the district, including debt service on borrowings of the district, such apportionment to be made equitable on a per capita basis as established by the last annual population estimate by the Department of Public Health for each participating town, city or borough.

(1949 Rev., S. 3879; 1961, P.A. 391, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 527, S. 2; 688, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 178; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 92-3; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 99-234, S. 11, 14; P.A. 00-27, S. 20, 24; P.A. 18-168, S. 60.)

History: 1961 act specified chairman's election be in September, deleted requirement that board determine relative amount of service to be performed in each municipality, added provisions re promulgation of rules and regulations, board meetings and executive committee, provided that board draw proportionate share of expenses of each district, that such apportionment be made on a per capita basis rather than on the basis of average receipts for the preceding three months and deleted provisions authorizing departments to use additional funds secured from federal or official agencies and to disburse money so received; 1969 acts divided section into subsections, moved provision re election of chairman and re offices and equipment into Subsec. (b), enumerated various powers of board, required quarterly meetings rather than annual meetings in September and specified that director of health has no vote; 1971 act required budget estimates be made during April if a municipality in the district has fiscal year beginning on July 1 and added provision re public hearing on budget; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 19-108 transferred to Sec. 19a-243 in 1983; P.A. 92-3 amended Subsec. (b) to require budget estimates for the health districts by June thirtieth instead of during June and, if any municipality within the district has a fiscal year beginning July first, by April thirtieth instead of during April; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 99-234 amended Subsec. (a) by changing “powers of the board” to “powers of each district” and adding provision re financing of programs, projects or other district functions to list of powers, added new Subsec. (b) re borrowing money, designated former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and amended same by adding reference to “debt service on borrowings of the district” and made technical changes, effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 00-27 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective May 1, 2000; P.A. 18-168 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “Public Health Code” with “general statutes and regulations of Connecticut state agencies”, adding new Subdiv. (6) re joining existing health district, and redesignating existing Subdiv. (6) as Subdiv. (7), effective July 1, 2018.

See Sec. 7-425 et seq. for duties re retirement of employees.

See Sec. 12-146a re authority to revoke license or permit to do business for an enterprise which has failed to pay personal property taxes.

See Sec. 19a-245 re funds received from state and federal sources.