Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — House Republicans, with the support of a handful of Democrats, have voted to limit the powers future governors would be able to exercise in emergencies.
The bill would bar governors from ordering churches or businesses to close, and it would require legislative approval of any election-related changes.
Representative John Wills, a Republican from Spirit Lake, says it’s designed to restore balance after what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Representative Beth Wessell-Kroeschell, a Democrat from Ames, was among the 30 House members who voted against the bill.
Democrats say Republicans are advancing this and other bills to limit the authority of future Iowa governors in case Democrat Rob Sand is elected in November.
One bill would shorten the terms for people governors appoint to state boards and commissions as well as require legislative approval for rules written by state agencies to implement Iowa laws. Another sets up a system that would keep state government operating on the previous year’s spending levels if the legislature and governor cannot agree on a new state budget by July 1st.
KIWA Staff Photo
