Senate committee advances bill to give Legislature formal role in ending gubernatorial emergencies; substitute requiring majorities wins

The Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs and Elections Committee on Feb. 21, 2025 adopted proposed Substitute B to Senate Bill 5,434 and recommended it for further consideration in the Rules Committee.

For the record, Danielle Creach, staff to the committee, told members the bill "concern[s] legislative oversight of gubernatorial powers during a declared emergency," and that a fiscal note and two proposed substitutes were available. The bill is intended to create procedures for the Legislature to terminate a state of emergency both when it is in session and when it is not, and to change how the Legislature would handle executive orders issued during an emergency.

The bill drew debate over how much power the Legislature should have to end or modify emergency orders and how to structure consultation with emergency management authorities. Proposed Substitute A, offered by Senator Wilson, would have removed a 30‑day limit on certain…