Today is a special day in California…California’s COVID-19 emergency is finally over.  

For three years, while every other state ended their emergency, Gavin Newsom continued to operate using emergency powers that undermined the fundamental principles of free government: transparency, oversight and due process.  

In my opinion, the Governor abused his authority during his extended emergency. Over the past three years, the Governor abused his authority to single-handedly change election law, impose de facto rent control and impose costly mandates that put people out of work. It was so bad that Kevin Kiley and I sued the Governor to check his authority. 

He used his emergency powers to violate your docile and constitutional rights: How you assemble, how you worship, your child’s right to an education, even your ability to visit a loved one in the hospital.

This should never happen again.  And that is why I have introduced Assembly Bill 1075. 

My legislation will do two fundamental things:

1) It will limit any emergency declared by the Governor to 60 days, unless affirmatively extended by a vote of the Legislature.

2) It will clarify that the Governor’s powers are limited to executive powers and prohibit gross overreaches like changing laws and undermining liberties.

With your help we can win this fight. Never again will we allow an emergency to last three years completely unchecked.  Never again will we allow one man rule to supplant our republic.

It is an honor to serve you,

James Gallagher
Assembly Minority Leader