PHX Reporter

The Arizona Senate has recently approved Sen. Warren Petersen’s legislation, S.C.R. 1003, which would terminate a state of emergency declaration by the governor after 30 days.

Unless there is a Concurrent Resolution of the Legislature to extend, the state of emergency will be ended on the stated period.

“A recent report revealed that Arizona is one of the worst states in the country in handling emergency declarations,” Petersen told the Arizona Daily Independent News Network. “Most states require the legislature to extend emergency orders beyond a short period. My SCR that just passed the Senate will expire all emergency orders after 30 days unless the legislature extends them. This will bring the voice of the people to the table when an emergency order is issued so they can protect their freedom and livelihood.”

While the measure would still have to pass the House and get final approval from the voters in the next general election, for now the governor’s state of emergency powers end when the state of emergency proclamation has been terminated by proclamation of the governor or Concurrent Resolution of the Legislature.

S.C.R. 1003 will additionally compel the governor to call a special session of the Legislature within 10 days of proclaiming a state of emergency.