Gregory Sunshine, JD, from the Public Health Law Program, Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support at the CDC did a comprehensive assessment of gubernatorial powers to quickly remove legal barriers in a public health emergency, and their findings were published recently in Health Security.
Why is this important?
As they point out, ” Governors play a fundamental role in emergency preparedness and can help facilitate rapid responses to emergencies. However, laws that operate successfully under normal circumstances can inadvertently create barriers during emergencies, delaying a timely response. State laws could thus limit, or even prohibit, necessary response efforts. ”
Thirty five states give the governor clear power to move quickly to remove legal barriers, but seven give only limited power to act, and eight states and the District of Columbia give no explicit power to act.
What about your state? find out here: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/hs.2018.0126
Apr 2019