The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 is a standalone legislation passed by the New Zealand Parliament on 13 May 2020 to provide a legal framework for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand over the next two years or until the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control. The Act allows the Minister of Health (or the Director-General of Health in specified circumstances) to make orders under Section 11 to give effect to the public health response to the COVID-19 in New Zealand. Legislative features The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act provides the legislative framework for the New Zealand Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It applies all alert levels under the Government's COVID-19 Alert Level Framework, replaces the country's state of emergency orders, and empowers police and other "enforcement officers" to apply various lockdown restrictions including closing premises or roads, banning travel and public gatherings, and requiring people to self-isolate at home or with their social bubbles. The Act empowers the Minister of Health to make "section 11" orders, which are based on sections 70 and 92L of the Health Act 1956. Section 20 of the Act gives enforcement officers including the Director General of Health, medical officers, Police officers, and any person authorised by the Director General to enter any land, building, craft, vehicle, place, or thing without a warrant if they have "reasonable grounds" to believe that a person is failing to comply with any aspect of a section 11 order. Enforcement officers also have the power to shut down businesses or undertakings that are operating in violation of section 11 orders. Sections 26 and 26 also provide criminal penalties including fines and imprisonment terms not exceeding six months for those caught violating "section 11" orders. The Act also has a two-year sunset clause and will automatically be repealed unless it is continually refreshed by the New Zealand House of Representatives every 90 days. The Bill received royal assent on 13 May. Following lobbying from the Māori Council, the Act was amended to remove any specific references to marae and to require that any warrantless search be reported to the relevant marae committee. Amendments On 23 November 2021, the Government passed the COVID-19 Response (Vaccinations) Legislation Act 2021 which introduced several amendments to the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020. Notable amendments include: Empowering the Director-General of Health to specify COVID-19 vaccination exemption criteria and COVID-19