| Updated: Feb. 17, 2021, 12:33 a.m.
Utah legislative leaders on Tuesday unveiled a new proposal to rein in the emergency powers of the governor and state and local health departments, saying the state’s current laws are not designed to grapple with long-term events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
SB195 from Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, would make a number of significant changes to how the state handles long-term emergencies, including limiting how long an emergency declaration remains in effect and granting authority to the Legislature to override those declarations.
Vickers argues the bill would set a more appropriate balance between the legislative branch, which creates policy, and the administrative branch, which is tasked with implementation.