It looks like Harvard isn't the only powerful institution currently freaking out (read: overreacting) about the spread of swine flu with its Purell propaganda and single-bedroom quarantines. Yesterday, The Massachusetts House approved a bill (with a vote of 113-36) that would give health officials the authority to isolate infected individuals and mandate vaccine administration, as well as perform a few other questionable practices. (We're guessing that these don't involve delivering get-well meals to those quarantined.)

In August of this year, while the Bill No. 2028 was still on the table, NaturalNews.com identified several specific excepts of text from the bill that could indicate potential civil rights violations in the works.

Read about some iffy governmental privileges after the jump.

Massachusetts State Senate Bill, No. 2028 lists the following as possible realities in the event of illness outbreak:

During either type of declared emergency, a local public health authority . . . may exercise authority. . .

(1) to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises . . .

(4) to restrict or prohibit assemblages of persons . . .

(8) to procure, take immediate possession from any source, store, or distribute any anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies located within the commonwealth as may be necessary to respond to the emergency. . .

And also:

If a person does not comply with the order . . . an officer authorized to serve criminal process may arrest without a warrant any person whom the officer has probable cause to believe has violated such an order and shall use reasonable diligence to enforce such order.

As outrageous and inconvenient as this new law might seem, the punishment for not complying to quarantine orders can consist of a 30-day jail sentence and/or a $1000 fine. UHS is starting to look pretty tame, isn't it?

The entire text of the bill can be read here.