Republican legislators in New Mexico want to roll back some of the power a governor has regarding States of Emergency.
Several Republican House members on Tuesday held a press conference to announced the filing of House Joint Resolution 8, that if passed would place a State Constitution amendment on the November ballot that would terminate a State of Emergency declared by a Governor to expire after 90 days unless the legislature is called into a Special Session and the Emergency is approved by a three-fifths majority.
House Minority Floor Leader Ryan Lane says the bill is intended to limit the power of any Governor, not just Michelle Lujan Grisham.
“New Mexico is unique in a lot of beautiful ways and this is one of the ways we are not is the way the executive has immense power,” he said. “I think part of that was originally designed because we have a volunteer legislature but with modern technology now I think we have the need that the balance of power shifts back to power co-equal branches of government. When you see these constitutional amendments, that’s what they are designed to do.”
While Lane said it wasn’t just about emergency declarations by Lujan Grisham she was the example Republican lawmakers used as they criticized the actions used by the governor regarding closings ordered due to the COVID pandemic and gun bans in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.
The bill is now in the House, Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee, but no date has been set as to when it will be discussed.
