This legislation is a serious threat to our civil liberties. Indeed, “this law treats American citizens as if they were the enemy,” stated George Annas, chairman of the Health Law Department at the Boston University School of Public Health (San Francisco Chronicle, 11/25/01). It must be exposed to the light of day in the next month and a half.
Under this Act, any Governor could appoint himself dictator by declaring a “public health emergency.” He doesn’t even have to consult anyone. The Act requires that he “shall consult with the public health authority,” but “nothing in the duty to consult … shall be construed to limit the Governor’s authority to act without such consultation when the situation calls for prompt and timely action.” The legislature is prohibited from intervening for 60 days, after which it may terminate the state of emergency
only by a two-thirds vote of both chambers.
Ed’s Note: While this article is dated, recent events, such as the Covid epidemic, demonstrates that such powers are still a great danger to America’s freedoms.