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May. 19, 2021 12:43AM EST
Governors’ pandemic-fueled powers dissipate
Governors are seeing their pandemic-related broad reach and executive powers wane as the public health emergency subsides and the necessity for restrictions and emergency action ends.
Why it matters: Governors took on outsize roles from Maine to California as much of the burden fell to the states. In some, their powers are about to revert to the norm. In others, their expanded reach is triggering a re-examination of whether they should have such authority in the future.
- In Texas, led by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, the state House and Senate have been deliberating laws that would move the needle away from the Executive Branch and toward the legislature in a future pandemic.
- In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont’s expanded pandemic powers will be extended until mid-July.
- The Democrat's ability to enforce the waning number of COVID-related executive orders was set to lapse on May 20, local media reported.
Between the lines: Emergency situations often test the limits of executive reach, regardless of political party. And it’s usually met with opposition from the other side of the aisle.
- In the case of the pandemic, such sweeping executive powers allowed governors to close schools and businesses, apply mask mandates and issue stay-at-home orders.
- The totality of the measures has sparked debates in the states about the reach of gubernatorial power.
In Pennsylvania, voters will decide today whether the governor should continue to have the same powers that have been executed this past year.
- The vote effectively was a referendum on Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's pandemic response — but at the same time, it will shape the extent of the governors’ power for the future, a Pennsylvania paper notes.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, another Democrat, has faced significant backlash in the exercise of his gubernatorial power.
- He is facing federal and state investigations, including one looking into his reporting of nursing home deaths during the pandemic.
- Such revelations have sparked bipartisan ire and prompted legislators to introduce a series of resolutions to revoke his executive orders.
- “The reality is we had this power to do this since Day One … when the governor was granted these unprecedented and unconstitutional executive powers,” New York state Sen. George Borrello, a Republican, said during a floor debate.
Of note: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, entered the pandemic with polls consistently showing him as the most popular governor in the country.
- His reputation took hits as the state experienced troubles with its unemployment assistance computers and vaccine registration program.
- He rebounded as the state went on to be one of the nation's leaders in vaccination delivery.
- Baker announced this week he will end the pandemic state of emergency on June 15 — dissolving his sweeping emergency powers, Massachusetts Playbook author Lisa Kashinsky noted.
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Jul. 13, 2021 03:49PM EST
Texas Democrats who fled state urge Congress to pass voting rights legislation
Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers held a press conference in D.C. on Tuesday to urge Congress to pass federal voting rights legislation, one day after they fled Texas to block the Republican-led legislature from passing restrictive new voting laws.
Driving the news: The lawmakers acknowledged that the gambit to prevent the Texas House from achieving quorum is only a temporary solution, noting they "are living right now on borrowed time in Texas."
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said on Monday that the lawmakers who left the state will be arrested upon their return to the state. He added that he will continue to call for special sessions until voting legislation is passed.
- 57 Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas have asked the state House clerk to lock their voting machines in their absence.
What they're saying: "Our intent is to stay out and kill this bill, this session, and use the intervening time — I think 24, 25 days now — before the end of this session to implore [Congress] to pass federal voting rights legislation to protect voters in Texas and across the country," Texas State Rep. Chris Turner said at the conference.
- "We can't hold this tide back forever. We're buying some time, we need Congress and all of our federal leaders to use that time wisely," Turner added.
- Turner said that he hopes President Biden — who is delivering a major speech on voting rights on Tuesday afternoon — will give a "clear plan of action" on how to break gridlock in the Senate to pass voting rights legislation this summer.
The big picture: Senate Republicans last month filibustered the "For The People Act," a sweeping federal elections overhaul that would create national standards for early voting and voter registration, end partisan gerrymandering, reform campaign finance and ethics laws, and more.
- There is no virtually no chance of the bill earning the 60 votes it needs in the Senate to overcome a filibuster. Even if Democrats moved to abolish the filibuster, which is also highly unlikely, moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has expressed opposition to the bill.
- The Texas voting bills are part of a wave of proposals to restrict access to the ballot box being considered in GOP-led state legislatures in the wake of the 2020 election.
What to watch: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would be meeting with the Texas Democrats later today "to plot out strategy and to praise them for what they are doing," per CNN.
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Dec. 08, 2024 10:04PM EST
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