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A2 UP FRONT
Friday 29 January 2021
State lawmakers are pushing to curb governors’ virus powers

of emergency has lasted
as long as it has."
In Indiana, Republican
Gov. Eric Holcomb's execu-
tive orders have also stirred
opposition from his own
party. GOP-sponsored leg-
islation would require law-
makers to be called into
session to extend a gover-
nor's emergency order be-
yond 60 days.
South Carolina Gov. Henry
McMaster is supporting
legislation that would give
lawmakers greater oppor-
tunity to pass judgment on
his emergency declara-
tions.
Under current law, McMas-
ter can issue a declaration
for just 15 days before the
General Assembly has to
weigh in. The Republican
governor has skirted that
by issuing 22 different dec-
larations, with incremental
changes, every two weeks
or so. McMaster has said
his goal wasn't to avoid leg-
islative oversight; he said he
Jeff Fitter, owner of Super Smokers BBQ, poses for a photo inside his restaurant Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Eureka, Mo.
Associated Press couldn't wait for lawmakers
to meet when they were
Continued from Front rants, gyms, hair salons and declarations during the sports to local health de- trying to stay apart during
other businesses. pandemic, which enabled partments. Whitmer called the pandemic.
Pennsylvania Republi- Lawmakers in more than him to extend the mask the move "cruel and reck- Democrats who control the
can Sen. Wayne Langer- half the states have filed mandate beyond the 60 less." Whitmer was the Maryland General Assem-
holc said the amendment bills this year to limit gu- days allowed under the law target of an alleged kid- bly are pressing for more
would "make it unequivo- bernatorial powers during without getting the Legisla- napping plot last fall by transparency from Repub-
cally clear that our Gen- the pandemic and other ture's approval. anti-government extremists lican Gov. Larry Hogan's
eral Assembly is a co-equal emergencies, according to Evers contends that the upset over her coronavirus administration. One idea
branch ... that we are not the National Conference changing nature of the restrictions. would require him to go
a monarchy and that our of State Legislatures. Most pandemic warranted new Though legislative resist- through a state board or
voices matter." legislatures began their ses- emergency declarations. ance to executive coro- alert a legislative panel be-
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf sions this month. The amendment Penn- navirus orders has fallen fore making emergency
and some of his counter- Kentucky's Republican- sylvania Republicans are largely along partisan lines coronavirus purchases.
parts around the country led Legislature could con- seeking to place on the in some states, lawmak- Hogan spent millions of dol-
have argued that they sider as soon as next week May ballot also would put ers elsewhere are pushing lars last year on a confiden-
need authority to act whether to override Demo- a cap on the governor's back against governors of tial deal to acquire COV-
quickly and decisively cratic Gov. Andy Beshear's disaster declarations — 21 their own parties. ID-19 testing supplies from
against the fast-changing vetoes of several bills that days, unless lawmakers Republicans in the Arizona South Korea that didn't ini-
threat. would rein in his emergen- vote to extend them. The Senate want to end the tially meet federal require-
The coronavirus has killed cy powers. Legislature also could halt broad emergency pow- ments.
an estimated 430,000 Wisconsin's GOP-controlled them at any time with a ers that GOP Gov. Doug A separate GOP-spon-
Americans and is going Senate voted earlier this two-thirds vote. Ducey has used to limit sored bill seeks to limit Hog-
through its most lethal week to repeal Democrat- Wolf has said that prema- large gatherings and busi- an's power by capping the
phase yet, despite the roll- ic Gov. Tony Evers' emer- turely ending his disaster ness capacities. number of times he could
out of vaccines, with new gency health order, which declaration would itself be Ohio Sen. Rob McColley extend a state of emergen-
and more contagious vari- would end the state's mask "disastrous" for the state introduced a bill this week cy without legislative input.
ants from abroad turning mandate. The Republican- and that requiring repeat- that could rescind emer- Hogan has denounced it as
up in the U.S. controlled Assembly called ed legislative approval gency health orders issued "about probably the dumb-
State legislatures generally off a similar vote Thursday "could slow down or halt by Gov. Mike DeWine, a est thing I've ever heard in
took on lesser roles after the in the face of criticism from emergency response when fellow Republican. It would my life."
pandemic hit, with many health, school and business aid is most needed." create a committee to Lawmakers are also seek-
suspending work or ad- leaders and concern that In Michigan, House Repub- retroactively review them. ing to rein in the emergen-
journing. It has been gover- it could jeopardize more licans have threatened to DeWine vetoed a similar bill cy powers of local officials,
nors or their top health of- than $49 million in federal withhold billions of dollars last year. especially in states such as
ficials who have set many aid. for schools unless Demo- McColley said the Legisla- Missouri, where the Republi-
of the policies — imposing Wisconsin Republicans cratic Gov. Gretchen Whit- ture needs to take action can governor has deferred
mask mandates, limiting have argued that Evers ex- mer cedes her adminis- "when the relatively unfet- most decisions on shut-
public gatherings and shut- ceeded his authority by is- tration's power to prohibit tered power of the execu- downs and masks to cities
ting down dine-in restau- suing multiple emergency in-person instruction and tive branch during a time and counties.q