Those organizational units of the department and the officers of those units specified by law shall have all of the powers and duties enumerated in the specific laws involved. However, the carrying out of those powers and duties shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the secretary, and he shall retain the final decision-making authority and responsibility for the administration of any such laws as provided in Subsection B of Section 9-7-6 NMSA 1978. The department shall have access to all records, data and information of other state departments, agencies and institutions, including its own organizational units, not specifically held confidential by law.

History: 1978 Comp., § 9-7-7, enacted by Laws 1977, ch. 253, § 8; 1991, ch. 25, § 19.

Cross references. — For executive cabinet, see 9-1-3 NMSA 1978.

For the department of environment, see 9-7A-1 NMSA 1978 et seq.

For health and hospital records, see 14-6-1 to 14-6-3 NMSA 1978.

For state health institutions generally, see Chapter 23 NMSA 1978.

For health and safety generally, see Chapter 24 NMSA 1978.

For appointment and establishment of powers and duties of district health officers and assistants, see 24-1-4 NMSA 1978.

For development by scientific laboratory division of methods to test persons operating motor vehicle under influence of drugs or alcohol, see 24-1-22 NMSA 1978.

For duties with regard to immunization, see Chapter 24, Article 5 NMSA 1978.

For vital statistics, see 24-14-1 to 24-14-31 NMSA 1978.

For establishment of vital statistics and health statistics bureau, see 24-14-3 NMSA 1978.

For food generally, see Chapter 25 NMSA 1978.

For controlled substances, see 30-31-1 to 30-31-41 NMSA 1978.

For occupational health and safety, see 50-9-1 to 50-9-25 NMSA 1978.

For pharmacy regulation and licensing, see Chapter 61, Article 11 NMSA 1978.

The 1991 amendment, effective March 29, 1991, substituted "9-7-6 NMSA 1978" for "7 of the Health and Environment Department Act" at the end of the second sentence.