# N.J. Stat. § 26:4-2: Powers of State department and local board

> New Jersey · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-2

## Section

- **Citation:** N.J. Stat. § 26:4-2
- **Heading:** Powers of State department and local board
- **Jurisdiction:** New Jersey
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** NJ Code / Title 26 / Chapter 4 / Section 4-2

## Text

26:4-2. In order to prevent the spread of disease affecting humans, the Department of Health, and the local boards of health within their respective jurisdictions and subject to the State sanitary code, shall have power to: a. Declare what diseases are communicable. b. Declare when any communicable disease has become epidemic. c. Require the reporting of communicable diseases. d. Maintain and enforce proper and sufficient quarantine, wherever deemed necessary. e. Remove any person infected with a communicable disease to a suitable place, if in its judgment removal is necessary and can be accomplished without any undue risk to the person infected. f. Disinfect any premises when deemed necessary. g. Remove to a proper place to be designated by it all articles within its jurisdiction, which, in its opinion, shall be infected with any matter likely to communicate disease and to destroy such articles, when in its opinion the safety of the public health requires it. In the event the Governor declares a public health emergency, the department shall oversee the uniform exercise of these powers in the State and the local board of health shall be subject to the department's exercise of authority under this section. amended 2005, c.222, s.31; 2012, c.17, s.337.

## Nearby sections

- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-1 "Communicable disease" defined](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-1.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-2 Powers of State department and local board.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-2.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-3 Evaluation of destroyed goods; reimbursement of owner](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-3.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-4 Notice to local board to control disease; proceeding to compel action](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-4.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-5 Closing public or private schools by reason of epidemic](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-5.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-6 Prohibiting attendance of teachers or pupils](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-6.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-8.1 Immunization at public expense](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-8.1.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-9 Epidemic in state institution](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-9.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-12 Prohibiting sale of dairy product contaminated by communicable disease](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-12.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-13 Removal of order prohibiting sale](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-13.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-14 Penalty for violation of prohibition](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-14.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-15 Reporting of communicable diseases by physicians](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-15.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-16 Reporting of communicable diseases by house owner or householder](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-16.md)
- [N.J. Stat. § 26:4-17 Physicians to report persons affected with disease on dairy premises](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-17.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NJ_T26_C4_S4-2. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.