SANTA FE – State legislators in New Mexico are putting forward bills to curb their governor’s public health emergency powers.
On Wednesday, a Senate committee is considering a Republican proposal to limit emergency health orders to 14 days and bar unilateral renewals like those used by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham during the pandemic.
Instead, renewals would have to be agreed on by the legislature or, if it’s not in session, three out of the four legislative leaders of the House and Senate.
In the House, a bill introduced by Democratic and Republican representatives would limit emergency health orders to 90 days. After that, the governor would have to convene a special session and get legislative approval.
The proposals follow 11 months of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s coronavirus-related emergency health order, which has been renewed multiple times with no vote by the House or Senate.
At least seven other states – Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania –are seeking to curb executive power on health orders because of pandemic-related restrictions.