State appeals court clears Newsom's use of emergency powers during pandemic FacebookTwitterEmail California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference in San Francisco in April. A state appeals court has upheld the emergency powers granted to him by the Legislature during the coronavirus pandemic.Justin Sullivan/TNS Rejecting a judge’s ruling that sought to limit Gov. Gavin Newsom’s powers during the coronavirus pandemic, a state appeals court said Wednesday that lawmakers had authorized Newsom to issue wide-ranging executive orders to protect Californians’ health until the emergency is over. In a suit by two Republican legislators, Sutter County Superior Court Judge Sarah Heckman ruled Nov. 2 that Newsom had violated state law with a series of executive orders broadening access to mail-in voting after declaring a state of emergency in May. Widening her scope to other orders that closed businesses and changed regulations and licensing procedures, she barred the governor from using the recently passed Emergency Services Act to issue decrees that establish or change any state law or legislative policy.