Emergency Powers

Emergency Powers. During a state of public health emergency, the governor may: (a) Suspend the provisions of any administrative regulation prescribing procedures for conducting Commonwealth business or the other order, rules, and administrative regulations of any other Commonwealth agency if strict compliance would prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action, including the making of emergency purchases, by the public health authority to respond to the public health emergency, or if strict compliance would increase the health threat to the population; (b) Utilize all available resources of the Commonwealth government and its political subdivisions as reasonably necessary to respond to the public health emergency; (c) Transfer the direction, personnel, or functions of departments and agencies to perform or facilitate response and recovery programs regarding the public emergency; (d) Mobilize all or any part of the organized militia into service. An executive order directing the organized militia to report for active duty shall state the purpose for which it is mobilized and the objectives to be accomplished. (e) Provide aid to and seek aid from the federal government in accordance with any emergency compact made with the Commonwealth government. (f) Seek aid from the federal government in accordance with federal programs or requirements. Source: PL 13-63, § 8, modified. Commission Comment: Several conforming changes were made in the above section by the Commission pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806. PL 13-63 was enacted on February 10, 2004 and contained a short title, findings, purpose, severability, and savings clause provisions. See the comment to 3 CMC § 2181 regarding PL 13-63.