North Dakota to lift COVID-19 emergency at end of month
BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said Wednesday he will lift the state’s COVID-19 emergency declaration at the end of the month as the state is changing its focus to increasing vaccination rates.
Burgum issued the order last March, two days after North Dakota confirmed its first case of the coronavirus. A week later he ordered people to stay out of bars, restaurants, health clubs, movie theaters and other large-scale venues.
Burgum said the decision to lift the emergency shows the progress the state has made in protecting its most vulnerable residents, preserving hospital capacity and making vaccines available to all residents. Nearly 70% of North Dakotans ages 65 years and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 64% are fully vaccinated.
North Dakota health officials on Wednesday confirmed 178 new cases of the coronavirus, nine new hospitalizations and two new deaths. More than 106,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 1,484 have died since the start of the pandemic.
The state currently has no enforced business or event protocols related to COVID-19, though local measures or orders may still be in place. A statewide mask requirement issued on Nov. 18 was lifted on Jan. 18.
Idaho House overrides governor’s veto on emergency powers
BOISE, Idaho – The Republicandominated House on Wednesday voted to override GOP Gov. Brad Little’s veto of a measure seeking to curb a governor’s power to respond to emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers voted, 48-19, to attain the two-thirds threshold needed to override the veto and send the measure to the Senate.
Its fate in the Senate is uncertain, as lawmakers there on Monday opted not to override a veto of similar legislation to curb a governor’s emergency powers. It’s not clear when the Senate will have an override vote on the bill from the House.
Supporters of the measures said the governor has too much power during emergencies. Opponents said the Legislature shouldn’t have emergency authority because it would be too slow to act during a time of crisis.
The coronavirus pandemic spurred the legislation, with lawmakers in Idaho and several other states taking aim at rules intended to stem the spread of the virus, like limiting gatherings and nonessential travel.