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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 4 June 2022
Indiana court strikes down emergency law fought by governor

By TOM DAVIES and RICK House members — to call
CALLAHAN an "emergency session" if it
Associated Press determined that the gover-
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The nor had declared a state of
Indiana Supreme Court on emergency with "statewide
Friday threw out a law that impact" and that "it is nec-
gave state legislators in- essary for the General As-
creased power to intervene sembly to address the state
during public health emer- of emergency with legisla-
gencies, agreeing with ar- tive action."
guments from Republican GOP legislative leaders
Gov. Eric Holcomb that the have maintained that
move violated the state the measure wasn't "anti-
constitution. governor" and praised
The court's unanimous de- Holcomb's handling of the
cision settles a legal fight coronavirus pandemic,
that began more than a which health officials say
year ago when Holcomb has killed more than 23,000
sued over a law that was people in the state.
a response to his efforts to Republican House Speaker
deal with the COVID-19 Todd Huston said in a state-
pandemic. ment that he respected
The new law gave legisla- the court's ruling. "We'll
tive leaders authority to call Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb speaks during a news conference on Sept. 27, 2021, in Indianapolis. consider all options moving
the General Assembly into Associated Press forward," he said.
an "emergency session" if Republican Senate Presi-
the governor declares a agreed, writing for the five- tant procedural, statutory law. Holcomb first issued a dent Pro Tem Rodric Bray
statewide emergency. The justice court that Holcomb's and Constitutional ques- public health emergency echoed that, saying in a
GOP-dominated Legisla- attorneys had "satisfied the tions that only the courts in response to the pandem- statement: "We will work
ture approved it over Hol- high burden required to could answer." ic on March 6, 2020, and collaboratively to find a
comb's veto. establish that the law is un- "Today, the Indiana Su- terminated it this March. He way forward that serves the
Holcomb's lawyers con- constitutional." preme Court has provided had issued 23 monthly ex- best interests of the State of
tended that the state con- "Under our Constitution, the clarity and finality on these tensions, drawing the ire of Indiana."
stitution allows only the gov- General Assembly simply important issues," he said. many conservatives even Although Friday's ruling
ernor to call the Legislature cannot do what the chal- The high court's ruling though any mask man- found the "emergency ses-
into meetings for consider- lenged law permits absent came after a Marion Coun- dates or business restric- sion" law to be unconstitu-
ation of new laws outside a constitutional amend- ty judge sided with the Leg- tions ended in spring 2021. tional, Rush wrote that the
of its annual sessions that ment," Rush added. islature in October. Under the law, it would General Assembly does
begin in early January and Holcomb said in a state- Legislative leaders never be up to the Legislative have "the constitutional
adjourn by the end of April. ment that the battle over tried to convene an emer- Council — made up of authority to set additional
Chief Justice Loretta Rush the law had raised "impor- gency session under the eight senators and eight sessions."q

Landmark bill to limit cryptomining passes NY Legislature

atorium on new and re- move away from fossil fuels the long-term benefits of
newed air permits for fossil entirely," said Liz Moran of embracing this industry
fuel power plants used for Earthjustice. and this technology far out-
energy-intensive "proof-of- Dozens of fossil fuel plants in weigh a potential pause
work" cryptocurrency min- New York could potentially on prospective future emis-
ing — a term for the com- be converted into mining sions," he added.
putational process that operations, she said. Hochul, a Democrat, has
records and secures trans- Cryptocurrency advocates said she want to make sure
actions in bitcoin and simi- complained that the mea- any legislation balances
lar forms of digital money. sure singled out the industry economic and environ-
Proof-of-work is the block- without addressing other mental concerns
chain-based algorithm fossil fuel use. They argue Cryptocurrency mining
used by bitcoin and some that the legislation would requires specialized com-
other cryptocurrencies. crimp economic devel- puters that consume huge
Environmentalists are urg- opment in New York while amounts of energy. One
The Greenidge Generation bitcoin mining facility, in a former
coal plant by Seneca Lake in Dresden, New York, is shown in this ing Gov. Kathy Hochul to other states court the bur- study calculated that as
photo from Nov. 29, 2021. sign the legislation. They say geoning field. of November 2018, bit-
Associated Press the state is undermining its "The message from the bill coin's annual electricity
long-term climate goals by and the embrace of that consumption was compa-
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New Both supporters and oppo- letting cryptomining opera- kind of policy is not a good rable to Hong Kong's in
York lawmakers have nents say that the closely tions run their own natural one for an industry that re- 2019, according to the U.S.
passed a milestone envi- watched bill, approved gas-burning power plants. ally can go anywhere," said Energy Information Admin-
ronmental measure de- early Friday by the state "We cannot be re-power- John Olsen of The Block- istration. Some miners are
signed to tap the brakes Senate, is the first of its kind ing fossil fuel power plants chain Association, an in- looking for ways to reduce
on the spread of crypto- in the U.S. for the purposes of private dustry group. their reliance on fossil fuels
currency mining operations If it becomes law, it would gain in New York, espe- "We're very hopeful that to produce the necessary
that burn fossil fuels. establish a two-year mor- cially as we're looking to the governor realizes that electricity.q