1. Membership; administration. A municipality may appoint a local board of health consisting of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 7 members besides the local health officer appointed pursuant to section 451, one of whom must be a physician, an advanced practice nurse or a physician associate, if available in the community. Appointees must have knowledge, education and experience in medicine or public health, including but not limited to community mental health, public health nursing, public and community health, social work and communications. To the extent possible, the board must be representative of the population served. When first appointed, members of the board must be appointed one for one year, one for 2 years and one for 3 years. Subsequent appointments must be for 3-year terms. The local health officer is secretary ex officio of the local board of health and shall keep a record of all proceedings. The local board of health constitutes an advisory body to the local health officer. [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 316, §3 (REV).] 2. Authorities of board. A local board of health shall prioritize activities overseen by the local health officer and may: A. In consultation with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, educate the public about health issues as long as those educational activities do not conflict with law, ordinance, bylaw or any fire, health or safety rule and are based in scientific approaches; [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW).] B. Propose ordinances to the local legislative body for the promotion of general health as long as those ordinances do not conflict with other law, ordinance, bylaw or any fire, health or safety rule; [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW).] C. Advise local select boards, council and staff on public health issues outside of the expertise of the local health officer, but shall prioritize activities overseen by the local health officer; [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW).] D. Advise other municipal departments, volunteer boards and commissions; and [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW).] E. Collaborate with nonprofit organizations, businesses and other entities to support local public health work. [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW).] A local board of health may not direct the work of the local health officer or any other employee or appointed official of the municipality. [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW).] 3. Funding. A local board of health may request permission from the municipality to apply for outside funding. All outside funding received by a local board of health is subject to municipal financial processes and procedures. [PL 2025, c. 75, §1 (NEW).]
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