Amidst mounting pressure that she open the State of Oregon to economic activity, Governor Brown has issued an executive order permitting elective and non-urgent medical procedures, starting May 1.The order reads "On or after May 1, 2020, elective and non-urgent procedures across all care settings that utilize PPE are allowed, but only to the extent they comply with guidance or administrative rules issued by the Oregon Health Authority."

In the same executive order, the Governor extended her guidelines for visitors to medical facilities, saying "I continue my delegation of authority to the Oregon Health Authority to provide guidance, which may be revised from time to time, regarding limitations and screening requirements for visitors to hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, based on best practices, to ensure the safety of patients and health care workers, and to slow the spread of COVID-19."

The Governor has claimed the authority to regulate this activity under the Oregon law that describes public health emergencies, claiming that her order "is a public health law, as defined in ORS 431A.005, and may be enforced as permitted under ORS 431A.010. Additionally, any person found to be in violation of this Executive Order is subject to the penalties described in ORS 401.990."

You can read the text of this law here.
--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-04-28 07:48:32