HB 5492 Summary

• Governor may declare public health emergencies and must make good faith effort to inform legislative leaders before declaring; declarations become effective upon filing with Secretary of State and legislative clerks and cannot exceed 180 days.

• Legislative committee consisting of president pro tempore, speaker, majority and minority leaders, and joint standing committee cochairpersons and ranking members may disapprove declarations by majority vote within 72 hours if at least one minority member votes for disapproval.

• Renewal declarations issued less than 180 days after initial declaration require committee disapproval; renewals at or after 180 days require majority vote approval from both houses of General Assembly within 72 hours unless leaders determine convening the Assembly poses undue health risk or is impossible.

• Governor may implement emergency response plans, authorize isolation and quarantine, order vaccinations, apply for federal assistance, and suspend certain license renewal and inspection functions during emergency and following six months.

• Civil preparedness emergency declarations follow similar processes with 100-day initial duration, and executive orders issued 100+ days after initial declaration may be disapproved by joint legislative committee within 36 hours.