SF454

The legislative bill SF No. 454 introduced in the Minnesota Senate seeks to amend current emergency management laws. The main features of the bill include:

1. Limiting the duration of an emergency declared by the governor to only five days unless legislative approval is granted for an extension.
2. Defining specific terms such as "bioterrorism" and "public health emergency" to clarify the situations that constitute emergencies.
3. Requiring that any executive orders or rules issued during an emergency must be approved by the legislature within five days to have the force and effect of law.
4. Eliminating some criminal penalties and making amendments to several existing statutes regarding emergency management responsibilities and powers of the governor.
5. Providing guidelines for cooperation with federal and state entities and detailing the procedures for declaring emergencies, including consultation with tribal authorities on Indian lands.
6. Ensuring that, during a declared emergency, the governor's emergency powers are confined to the duration of the emergency and emphasizing the limitations imposed on these powers by the need for legislative approval.

The bill emphasizes the protection of citizen rights during emergencies and increases legislative oversight on the executive branch’s powers in emergency situations. It also repeals some previously defined penalties for violations of emergency orders.