Cody Allen and Eric Harrison

Given current political climates and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some state legislatures are reevaluating the emergency powers given to their chief executives. This brief analyzes recently enacted legislation aimed at revising emergency executive powers and provides a contrary example in Georgia, which last revised emergency executive powers in 2014. While this brief primarily focuses on emergency powers in Southern states, legislation recently enacted in Indiana is also included. Additionally, this brief overviews Southern state legislatures’ mechanisms for calling themselves into a special legislative session.

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