Court upholds Newsom’s use of emergency powers during COVID-19 outbreak

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s use of emergency powers to make far-reaching policies during the pandemic was upheld Wednesday by state appellate judges who rejected a lower court finding that the Democrat had done too much unilaterally.

"We conclude the issuance of such orders did not constitute an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power," they said in ruling on a lawsuit brought by Republican state legislators. The court already had stayed the earlier ruling by Sutter County Superior Court Judge Sarah Heckman that Newsom unconstitutionally usurped the Legislature’s power.