Governor calls special session to address emergency declaration

Posted on: 4/3/20

A special session of the Legislature will be held at 8 a.m., Monday, April 6. On Thursday, the governor issued Executive Order 2020-12, which declared a catastrophic health emergency under the Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act. This Act has never been invoked since its passage in 2003 and is intended to assist state and local governments in protecting citizens in the event that the state is affected by a major health epidemic. The declaration triggers a special session of the Legislature on the second day following the date of the declaration. By law, the purpose of the special session is to concur with or terminate the governor’s declaration, and the Legislature is fully expected to concur with the declaration.

The State Board of Equalization is also set to meet virtually on Monday at 1 p.m. It is fully expected that they will declare a revenue failure for the current fiscal year. Following this declaration, and with the House and Senate present in the building, we expect the Legislature to take action in regular session to shore up the budget for the current fiscal year only. This is based on public statements made by the Senate pro tempore and the speaker of the House.

We are now in uncharted waters legislatively, but we are actively engaged with the administration and our lawmakers. (Scott Tohlen)