35-4-112. Right of appeal of quarantine.

(a) Any person who has been quarantined pursuant to this act may appeal to the district court at any time for release from the quarantine. The court may hold a hearing on the appeal after notice is provided to the state health officer at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the hearing. After the hearing, if the court finds that the quarantine is not reasonably necessary to protect the public health, it shall order the person released from quarantine. The burden of proof for the need for the quarantine shall be on the state health officer, except that in the case of bona fide scientific or medical uncertainty the court shall give deference to the professional judgment of the state health officer unless the person quarantined proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the quarantine is not reasonably necessary to protect the public health.

(b) Any person quarantined shall have the right to communicate by telephone or any other available electronic means, but the state health officer may, in order to protect the public health, deny the quarantined person's right to meet in person with any person not subject to the quarantine, except that a parent or legal guardian may upon request be quarantined with the minor patient.

(c) In the event of a public health emergency of unknown effect, the state health officer may impose a temporary quarantine until there is sufficient information to determine what actions, if any, are reasonably needed to protect the public health.