Bill limits governor's emergency powers

(The Center Square) – The governor’s ability to act unilaterally during states of emergency would be limited, if a new California bill becomes law. Assembly Bill 1835, introduced by Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-Chico, would limit a state of emergency that a governor can declare to 90 days, unless the Legislature votes to extend it. “There’s definitely times during an emergency when a governor, an executive, needs to act to protect life and property,” Gallagher told The Center Square in an exclusive interview this week. “However, there also needs to be some checks and balances on that.” Gallagher aims to do what he said is a similar process in local governments throughout the state, as well as the legislatures of other states. “That gives the ability to the Legislature to review the emergency, what’s going on, and then have some say in whether those emergency powers continue,” Gallagher said. “We think it’s a good reform.” The bill was born out of a response to the state of emergen