Republican Lawmakers Call To End California's Statewide COVID-19 Emergency Order
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Republican lawmakers in California pushed for an end to the statewide COVID-19 emergency declaration again Thursday, but their efforts fell short.
Assemblymen James Gallagher and Kevin Kiley rallied Republicans ahead of legislation designed to move the Golden State out of COVID-19 restrictions.
"It is long past time that we end the state of emergency," Gallagher said.
"Other states in this country have ended their states of emergency, have ended all mandates, have ended all restrictions and it's time for Californians to do the same," Kiley said.
The pair says the California Legislature has the power to end the mask mandates that they say have gone on too long and have done irreparable damage to businesses and our school children.
"They never go away, why? Because the governors love that authority and that power under their jurisdiction, and it's unilateral. It is not transparent and it's corrupt," said Senator Jim Nielsen.
In a statement, the Governor's Office said:
"Elected officials should focus on what best serves their constituents and stop with the political theatre. Apparently, Asm. Kiley and Asm. Gallagher believe it would have been better to let Californians die and be turned away from care when hospitals reached capacity during the Omicron surge."
On the Senate floor, Republicans pushed to have their resolution heard.
"I'd like to make the case as to why this motion should be heard," Melendez. "Because we've done this drill several times, unsuccessfully, that the point is driven home."
But the resolution never even made it to a vote.
