About the Author
The Governor had a one-on-one interview this week with Mike McClanahan for TVW’s The Impact to discuss his mandates and use of emergency powers. One of the most interesting things the Governor said was this:
"There is only one person in the state of Washington who has the capability to save those lives right now and it happens to be the Governor of the state of Washington." (16:12 mark of interview)
Other highlights from the interview:
- Governor says we shouldn't involve lawmakers in these decisions because we need to act right now (4:32 mark).
- Governor says there aren't specific metrics available to determine when the state should return to normal governance via the legislature (7:30 mark).
I encourage every Washingtonian to watch The Impact interview with the Governor and determine whether they believe it is time for the legislature to reform the state’s emergency powers to provide some type of legislative oversight and involvement in these governance decisions.
Additional Information
State judge calls for return to our normal governing principles
O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law: It’s Time to Reconsider State of Emergency Declarations for Sustained Crises
Why Washington State Needs Emergency Powers Reform (video)
