Explanation of HB 275

This bill revises the authority of the governor and general court to declare, renew, or terminate a state of emergency. It gives the governor the power to declare a state of emergency if there is a major disaster looming or if one has already occurred. The general court also has the authority to declare a state of emergency through a concurrent resolution.

The bill also details the conditions that must be specified in an executive order or concurrent resolution declaring a state of emergency, such as the nature of the emergency, the areas affected, the conditions of the emergency, and the duration of the state of emergency.

Furthermore, it outlines the procedures for renewing or terminating a state of emergency. It states that a state of emergency shall automatically terminate after 21 days if declared by the governor, or after 90 days if declared by the general court. The governor can renew a state of emergency up to three times, while the general court can renew it as many times as necessary to protect the safety and welfare of the state's inhabitants.

The legislature also has the power to terminate a state of emergency or any emergency order through a concurrent resolution adopted by both chambers. The state of emergency can also be terminated through a concurrent resolution adopted by a majority vote of each chamber, but this does not prevent the governor from declaring a new emergency for different circumstances.