{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-32.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-32.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-32.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-32.html"}],"law_id":78473,"edition_id":1,"section_id":78473,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-32","catch_line":"Independent local health departments","history":"1979, c. 711.","full_text":"A\n\nThe governing body of any county or city which does not enter into a contract with the Board for the operation of the local health department shall appoint the local health director and may appoint a local board of health to establish policies and to advise the local health department.B\n\nEach local health director and local board of health appointed by a governing body as provided in this section shall enforce all health laws of this Commonwealth and regulations of the State Board of Health. In case any such local health director or local board fails to enforce any such laws or regulations, the Commissioner may apply to the appropriate circuit court for an injunction, writ of mandamus or other appropriate remedy to compel such local health director or local board to enforce such laws or regulations.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":281293,"text":"The governing body of any county or city which does not enter into a contract with the Board for the operation of the local health department shall appoint the local health director and may appoint a local board of health to establish policies and to advise the local health department.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":281294,"text":"Each local health director and local board of health appointed by a governing body as provided in this section shall enforce all health laws of this Commonwealth and regulations of the State Board of Health. In case any such local health director or local board fails to enforce any such laws or regulations, the Commissioner may apply to the appropriate circuit court for an injunction, writ of mandamus or other appropriate remedy to compel such local health director or local board to enforce such laws or regulations.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15941,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Health Departments and Directors","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13065,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:02:22","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:02:22","permalink":{"id":201319,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15941,"identifier":"5","token":"32.1\/1\/5","url":"\/32.1\/1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13065,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration Generally","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","permalink":{"id":201101,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13065,"identifier":"1","token":"32.1\/1","url":"\/32.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62729,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-30","catch_line":"Local health departments","url":"\/32.1-30\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-30","metadata":false},{"id":68104,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-31","catch_line":"Operation of local health department under contract with Board; local health services advisory boards; district health departments","url":"\/32.1-31\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-31","metadata":false},{"id":78473,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-32","catch_line":"Independent local health departments","url":"\/32.1-32\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-32","metadata":false},{"id":63529,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-33","catch_line":"When Board to perform duties of local board","url":"\/32.1-33\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-33","metadata":false},{"id":61991,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-34","catch_line":"Scope of local health ordinances and regulations","url":"\/32.1-34\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-34","metadata":false},{"id":66347,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-34.1","catch_line":"Power to seek and receive donations","url":"\/32.1-34.1\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-34.1","metadata":false},{"id":84191,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-34.2","catch_line":"Human trafficking hotline; posted notice required","url":"\/32.1-34.2\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-34.2","metadata":false},{"id":71967,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-34.3","catch_line":"Funding local health departments; cooperative local health budget; report","url":"\/32.1-34.3\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-34.3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":68104,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-31","catch_line":"Operation of local health department under contract with Board; local health services advisory boards; district health departments","url":"\/32.1-31\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-31","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":63529,"structure_id":15941,"section_number":"32.1-33","catch_line":"When Board to perform duties of local board","url":"\/32.1-33\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-33","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-32\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 711 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1979 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":[{"id":60060,"section_number":"15.2-534","catch_line":"Department of health","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-534\/"},{"id":78389,"section_number":"15.2-629","catch_line":"Department and board of health","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-629\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":201329,"object_type":"law","relational_id":78473,"identifier":"32.1-32","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-32","url":"\/32.1-32\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-32\/","token":"32.1\/1\/5\/32.1-32","dublin_core":{"Title":"Independent local health departments","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-32","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The governing body of any county or city which does not enter into a contract<\/span> with the Board<\/span> for the operation of the local health department<\/span> shall appoint the local health director and may appoint a local board<\/span> of health to establish policies and to advise the local health department<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Each local health director and local board of health appointed by a governing body as provided in this section shall enforce all health laws<\/span> of this Commonwealth and regulations of the State Board<\/span> of Health. In case any such local health director or local board fails to enforce any such laws<\/span> or regulations, the Commissioner<\/span> may apply to the appropriate circuit<\/span> court<\/span> for an injunction<\/span>, writ of mandamus<\/span> or other appropriate remedy to compel such local health director or local board to enforce such laws<\/span> or regulations. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nINDEPENDENT LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS (\u00a7 32.1-32)\n\nA. The governing body of any county or city which does not enter into a contract\nwith the Board for the operation of the local health department shall appoint\nthe local health director and may appoint a local board of health to establish\npolicies and to advise the local health department.\n\nB. Each local health director and local board of health appointed by a governing\nbody as provided in this section shall enforce all health laws of this\nCommonwealth and regulations of the State Board of Health. In case any such\nlocal health director or local board fails to enforce any such laws or\nregulations, the Commissioner may apply to the appropriate circuit court for an\ninjunction, writ of mandamus or other appropriate remedy to compel such local\nhealth director or local board to enforce such laws or regulations.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 711.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}