North Carolina Must Rein in Governor’s Emergency Powers | Eastern NC Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the John Locke Foundation. The author of this post is Donna Martinez.

    Gov. Roy Cooper has taken long-term control of the movements and actions of more than 10 million North Carolinians through the state's Emergency Management Act. His long-term use of the act during COVID-19 has spurred big concerns over the restrictions on liberty, Cooper's interpretation of the act, and the precedent his actions set for future governors. Could, for example, a future governor determine climate change to be such a serious threat to North Carolina that he/she should invoke the act to intervene?

    In this conversation with me for Carolina Journal Radio, Jon Guze, JLF's Director of Legal Studies, shares why he is urging state policymakers to rein in the governor's powers — no matter who sits in the seat.