Quarantine shall be enforced by the state, by counties and by incorporated cities and towns in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

Any master or other person in charge of a vessel in quarantine who shall remove or take, or who shall aid or procure to be removed or taken, such vessel from quarantine before she is given pratique is guilty of a misdemeanor and must, on conviction, be punished accordingly.

Any person who violates the regulations prescribed by the corporate authorities of any town or city or by the county commissioner of any county in relation to vessels arriving in the harbor or in the vicinity of such town or city, after notice thereof has been given for five days in some newspaper printed in such town or city or, when there is none, by notice posted up at some public place therein for the same length of time, must, on conviction, be fined not less than $50.00.

Upon the recommendation of the board of health of a county, and subject to the approval of the State Board of Health, quarantine may be proclaimed for a county by the probate judge thereof or, in case of his inability to act, then, by the presiding officer of the county commission and for an incorporated city or town by the mayor or chief executive officer thereof. In case of emergency, quarantine may be proclaimed by said officers without such recommendations, subject, however, to approval, modification or withdrawal by the board of health of the county.

When quarantine has been proclaimed for a county, incorporated city or town in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, its enforcement shall be entrusted to the health officer of the county, city or town, respectively, the administration of any one or all of whom shall be subject to the approval of the board of health of the county.

When a contagious or infectious disease of quarantinable nature exists in a part of a county, the remainder of the county, and any incorporated city or town therein, may establish quarantine against the infected portion or portions of the county in accordance with the following provisions:

(1) If a majority of the committee of public health, acting for the board of health of the county, reside in the uninfected portion of the county, such majority shall have the power of the full committee, as defined in the Sections 22-12-12 and 22-12-13; or

(2) If, however, a majority of the said committee reside in the infected portion of the county, then said committee can no longer act, and in that event, the uninfected portion of the county may establish quarantine as follows:

a. The judge of probate, the presiding officer or any two members of the county commission if they, or either, reside in the uninfected portion of the county, may issue, in the order named and upon the recommendation of the county health officer in case he resides in the uninfected portion of the county or, in default of such residence or on account of his absence from the county, then, without such recommendation, a proclamation of quarantine against the infected portions of the county, subject to approval or modification by the State Board of Health; and

b. Likewise, the Mayor or Chief Executive Officer of any incorporated city or town in the uninfected portion of the county may issue, on the recommendation of the health officer of his city or town or, in the absence of such officer, then, without such recommendation, a proclamation of quarantine against the infected portion of the county, subject to approval or modification by the State Board of Health.

A proclamation of quarantine issued in accordance with the provisions of Section 22-12-14 by the judge of probate, the presiding officer or any two members of the county commission for the protection of a portion of a county shall be enforced by the health officer of the county, provided he resides in the uninfected portion of the county, but in case he does not so reside, or in the event of his absence or disability, then such proclamation shall be enforced in such way as the officer issuing the same may direct. A proclamation of quarantine issued by the Mayor or Chief Executive Officer of any incorporated city or town in accordance with the provisions of Section 22-12-14 shall be enforced by the health officer of the city or town and, in case of his absence or disability, then, in such way as the officer issuing the proclamation may direct.

The expense of enforcing any quarantine for a county, or for a portion thereof, as provided for in Sections 22-12-12 through 22-12-15, shall be defrayed by the county commission of the county; that incurred in conducting a quarantine for an incorporated city or town shall be defrayed by the authorities of the city or town declaring quarantine.

Every quarantine declared or established by the authority of any county, incorporated city or town in this state, together with the regulations prescribed thereunder, shall forthwith be reported to the State Health Officer by the health officer of the county, city or town establishing or conducting such quarantine.

Any person, coming into a city or town by land from a place infected with a contagious disease, may be compelled to perform quarantine by the health officer and restrained from traveling until discharged; and any person thus restrained, traveling before he is discharged must, on conviction, be fined not less than $100.00.

The authorities of any incorporated city or town may establish a place of detention for persons who may come from territory under quarantine by such incorporated city or town; but if the place selected is without the limits of the town or city, the assent of the county commission in which such place is located must be obtained.

The quarantine authority of the state shall be paramount to that of any county, city or town therein.

Should a person who has been legally placed in detention by a county health officer or quarantine officer attempt to make his escape, such person may be forcibly detained or, should such person make his escape, complaint, on oath, may be made before the judge of probate or a judge of the circuit, district or municipal court of the county or municipality where the escape or attempted escape occurs, by the county health officer or quarantine officer, whereupon such judge of probate or the judge of the circuit, district or municipal court to which such complaint was made, shall issue a warrant authorizing a sheriff, bonded constable or other lawful officer to arrest such person and return him to detention.

During the existence of quarantine, state or local, the supervision of trains, buses, aircraft and watercraft affected by such quarantine shall be placed under the State Board of Health; and the quarantine authorities of any county, incorporated city, or town traversed by such roads or which such aircraft or watercraft may enter may decline to receive freight, mail or express matter from a place infected with a quarantinable disease, of which refusal the said authorities must give the State Health Officer immediate notice.

Any person, conductor, captain, agent or manager, operating either for himself or for a corporation a railroad, watercraft or other conveyance for the transportation of passengers or freight, who shall knowingly transport any person or thing in violation of the provisions of this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, shall be fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense.

(a) Written authority to act as quarantine officer for this state, or for any county, incorporated city or town therein, conducting a quarantine approved by the executive officer of the State Board of Health, shall entitle the holder thereof to board any railroad train, passenger or freight, bus or watercraft in this state and ride thereon, free of cost, to such place or places as the discharge of his duties may demand.

(b) Any conductor of a railroad train, passenger or freight, or captain or other officer of a watercraft in this state who refuses to allow a quarantine officer to ride on train or watercraft, free of charge, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $100.00 for each offense.

All State Quarantine Officers and guards, upon presentation of such credentials and compliance with such regulations as may be prescribed by the State Board of Health, shall be permitted to pass all quarantine lines established by county, city or town authority.

Any legal quarantine officer or guard may, without warrant, arrest a person who attempts to violate a quarantine regulation and carry such person either to a designated place of detention or before an officer having jurisdiction of such offense.

(a) Any person who makes affidavit before a quarantine officer or guard, engaged in enforcing quarantine for the protection of a place which said person wishes to enter, and who furnishes such other evidence as may be prescribed by the State Board of Health that he has not, since the appearance of a quarantinable disease then existing, been in any place against which quarantine has been legally proclaimed shall be permitted to enter, or remain in, the place to which he desires to go. Any person who has been in a place then under quarantine, by the authority of the state or by that of a county, city or town with the approval of the State Board of Health, and who has since complied with the requirements as to detention and disinfection, one or both, prescribed or approved by the State Board of Health and who shall make affidavit thereto and furnish such other evidence thereof as said board may prescribe or demand shall be permitted to enter or remain in any place in this state.

(b) Any quarantine officer or guard or other person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $100.00 for each offense.

Whenever in this chapter rights are granted to, or duties imposed upon, the State Board of Health or a county board of health, such rights and such duties may be exercised or executed by the committees of public health or health officers, respectively, of said boards as their legal and accredited agents.

The Governor, whenever he deems it necessary, or the State Board of Health, shall proclaim quarantine, and when proclaimed, said Board of Health shall enforce such quarantine under such regulations as may, from time to time, be prescribed.

When proclamation of quarantine has been issued by the Governor, the State Health Officer may, subject to the approval of the State Board of Health, amend the regulations originally adopted and may add to, or take from, the territory under quarantine, provided he reports to the Governor all amendments and changes made, together with the reasons therefor.

The State Health Officer, or any representative designated by him, may go into any place in this state for the purpose of making such investigations as shall determine the necessity for quarantine. Quarantine may be established, pending such investigation, upon authentic information of the existence of a quarantinable disease at any place from which such disease is likely to invade the state, or any portion thereof.

Should permission for such investigation into the nature of the disease as is provided for in this chapter be refused by the authorities of any place outside of this state, such refusal will constitute ground for declaring quarantine against such place.

The master of any vessel, ordered to perform quarantine, must deliver, to the officer appointed to see it performed, his bill of health and manifest, logbook and journal; if he fails to do, or to repair, in proper time after notice, to the quarantine ground or departs thence without authority, he must, on conviction, be fined not less than $200.00.