Representative Mike Garcia (CA-25) led a letter with Representatives Ken Calvert (CA-42), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Tom McClintock (CA-04), and Darrell Issa (CA-50) calling on California Governor Gavin Newsom to end the ongoing COVID-19 state of emergency declaration. This letter comes as COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted across most of the country. 

The current California State of Emergency order is set to expire on March 31st, 2022. In the letter, the lawmakers stressed that this order has been in place for two full years and is now being used for political convenience.

“States of emergency serve legitimate needs in our state government’s response to threats of the highest order. It is critical that governors do not cheapen this political tool and undermine the faith of our citizens by unreasonably extending emergency powers that sidestep the constitutional role of the California State Legislature simply for political convenience,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers stressed that while state of emergency orders were initially needed to combat the growing number of COVID-19 cases, resources to combat COVID-19 are now readily available throughout the state and country. They explained that other states with similar political makeups to California, namely Colorado and New Jersey, have ended their states of emergency.

“The time for these emergency powers to end is now. California has no lockdown orders in place, and you have recently rescinded the statewide mask mandate that was in effect the past two months. Citizens across our state and across our nation have returned to normalcy. It is time that the government of California do the same,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers called on Governor Newsom to formally end the state of emergency in California and restore powers to the California Legislature, as delegated to them in the California State Constitution.
 
Click here to read the letter.