AB 272

Under current law, the governor may issue an executive order declaring a state

of emergency for the state or any portion of the state if he or she determines that an

emergency exists resulting from a disaster or the imminent threat of a disaster or

that a public health emergency exists. An emergency declaration lasts for 60 days

unless extended by joint resolution of the legislature. Either the governor or the

legislature by joint resolution may revoke an emergency declaration, but only the

legislature has the authority to extend an emergency declaration.

This bill makes all of the following changes to the laws relating to the governor's

authority to declare a state of emergency for the state or any portion of the state:

1. The governor may issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency

only if the executive order is additionally signed by at least two of the following: the

senate majority leader; the senate minority leader; the speaker of the assembly; the

assembly minority leader.

2. The governor may not issue successive executive orders declaring a state of

emergency based on the same disaster or public health crisis or based on

circumstances arising from or closely related to the same disaster or public health

crisis.

3. Upon issuing an executive order declaring a state of emergency, the governor

must call the legislature into special session for the purpose of considering the

executive order and all emergency orders issued pursuant to the executive order. The

executive order and each such emergency order terminates on the 30th day after the

day the executive order declaring an emergency was issued unless approved in whole

or in part by the legislature by joint resolution.

4. The legislature may by joint resolution extend a declaration of emergency

one or more times, as provided under current law, but each extension may last no

more than 30 days.