The Role of State Attorneys General in Public Health Law

 Stephen Teret, J.D., M.P.H., and Helaine Rutkow, Ph.D., J.D., M.P.H., at  the Center for Law and the Public's Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health explain the significant authority and capacity of Attorneys General to promote the public’s health. Teret and Rutkow explain the unique powers of Attorneys General in the United States legal system and review the evidence that Attorneys General can effectively promote the public health. This discussion includes descriptions of the substantial jurisdictional power of Attorneys General in enforcing state criminal laws and initiating and enforcing state civil law, and  highlights Attorney General rule-making as  a viable mechanism for addressing public health problems. The sizable investigative apparatus and fact-finding capacity of Attorneys General is also discussed.   The paper canvasses the evidence of impact and and sets an agenda for public health research.