McFarland, a Republican from Winnfield, is proposing one of several ideas for enacting new limits on a Louisiana governor’s emergency authority. His bill would create a council of elected officials to decide whether a statewide public health emergency called by a governor can continue for more than 30 days.
Other lawmakers simply want to revoke Edwards’ emergency order and reopen the state without restrictions.
The governor said some lawmakers “don’t see the emergency for what it is” and seem to want to ignore the broader risks of the virus’s spread in a state where large numbers of people have the underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to severe effects from COVID-19. He said Louisiana has opened more of its activities and businesses than many other states.
“You cannot declare and respond to a public health emergency by committee,” Edwards said. “And the constitution isn’t set up that way either.”
While Republicans don’t agree on the approach to…
