Carrie Waggoner is a senior attorney with the Mid-State’s Region Office of the Network for Public Health Law. In her role, Carrie focuses on data, privacy, and general public health authority issues. Prior to joining the Network, Carrie worked in the legal administration at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Carrie held a variety of roles at MDHHS, most recently as the Director of the Public Health Legal Division where she led teams providing legal support on public health, privacy, and FOIA-related matters. Carrie is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law and has been licensed to practice law in Michigan since 2011.

Articles & Resources

COVID-19 FAQs for Michigan Local Health Departments

FAQMichiganMid-States RegionPublic Health Advocacy and Decision-Making

February 9, 2021
by Carrie Waggoner, Colleen Healy Boufides, Denise Chrysler, Kathleen Hoke, Peter D. Jacobson and Sallie Milam

In addressing questions regarding executive decision-making, we use the following general approach. Michigan’s Public Health Code grants public health officials considerable discretion to protect the public against communicable disease and environmental health threats. To exercise their broad grant of authority, the executive must ask three key questions: Can I? Must I? Should I?

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Ordinances as a Tool for Increased Enforcement of COVID-19 Orders

Law & Policy InsightsCOVID-19Social Distancing Measures

December 16, 2020
by Carrie Waggoner

As the pandemic in the U.S. continues to worsen, many states are requiring additional disease mitigation measures. While many governors continue to utilize their executive authority under state emergency management laws to protect the public’s health, enforcement of public health orders at the state and local level has been a challenge across the country. One potential solution is for local jurisdictions to utilize civil infractions as an enforcement mechanism for public health orders through the enactment of ordinances.

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