California justices won’t limit governor’s emergency powers

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The California Supreme Court has declined to consider reining in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic. The decision Wednesday leaves in place a lower court’s ruling that the governor acted within his authority. The justices unanimously denied the petition for review filed by two Republican assemblymen. The lawmakers had wanted the high court to overturn an appeals court decision in May that Newsom did not illegally usurp the Legislature’s power with his broad use of emergency powers to make far-reaching policies during the pandemic. Newsom, a Democrat, faces a Sept. 14 recall election driven largely by anger over his handling of the pandemic.