Students will learn about the role of law in protecting and preserving the public’s health. We will examine the sources of law that give federal, state, and local government power and duty to adopt public health policy and the sources of law that constrain those powers. The course will cover the interplay between federal, state, and local public health agencies and the structure and function of the public health system. We will examine the impact of preemption, public health ethics, epidemiology, administrative law, and other factors on the development of public health laws. Students will learn about social determinants of health and racism as a public health crisis and how law has contributed to health inequities and the role that law can play in reducing those inequities. The course also serves as a survey of persistent and emerging public health legal issues through which we discuss the impact of law and policy. Specific topics may include substance use and addiction (tobacco, alcohol, opioids), access to reproductive health care, food safety and security, regulation of cannabis, vaccination policy, and housing protections. We will engage in discussion of the impact of Executive Orders and other changes in federal law that started in January 2025.