For much of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers have been frustrated by the lack of notice regarding important mandates issues by different public health officials at all levels of state and local government. Senate Bill 336 is designed to make obtaining current information a little easier. 

With the enactment of SB 336, if either the State Department of Public Health or a local health officer issues an order or mandatory guidance related to COVID-19, the respective agency must do the following:

(1) Publish on their internet website the order or mandatory guidance and the date it takes effect; and

(2) Allow local communities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, individuals and others to sign up for an e-mail distribution list relative to changes to the order or guidance.

The email distribution list should be a welcome reprieve for employers to stay up-to-date on any changes without having to constantly navigate the labyrinth of information on public health websites. Employers are encouraged to sign up for the e-mail distribution list on both the state and local levels as they become available. As an urgency statute, SB 336 became effective upon being enacted on October 4, 2021.