In a move to redefine executive authority, the Iowa House passed legislation preventing the governor from closing churches or businesses and barring future vaccine mandates. Lawmakers view this as an important adjustment to how emergency powers are executed, ensuring certain decisions remain subject to legislative approval.

Governor Ron DeSantis extended Florida’s self-declared state of emergency 15 times to grant himself special powers needed to seize control of land for a project known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” This unprecedented use of emergency powers raises questions about governance and oversight.