Welcome to the Wednesday, June 10, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

1. Justice, Salango win West Virginia gubernatorial primaries, Mace wins GOP nod in SC-01
2. Tracking state legislative challenges to governors’ policies implemented in response to the coronavirus outbreak
3. Ballotpedia’s special Number of the Day series regarding attitudes toward COVID-19 concludes

Tracking state legislative challenges to governors’ executive orders implemented in response to the coronavirus outbreak

When the coronavirus pandemic began, governors and state health officials used emergency powers to enact responses - such as closing what they deemed nonessential businesses, implementing social distancing, and restricting mass gatherings. Several state legislatures challenged these actions through either lawsuits or legislation.  

Here are some examples of what these legislatures did: 

• June 5: On June 5, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetoed House Bill 536, which would have allowed certain establishments to offer outdoor dining and beverage service. The bill was introduced in the legislature to allow bars and restaurants to open outdoor dining temporarily ahead of the third phase of Cooper’s reopening plan, when bars are set to reopen and restaurants can increase capacity. If Cooper had signed the bill, those establishments would have been able to reopen immediately. Phase 3 is expected to begin on June 26. State Rep Chuck McGrady (R) said in a statement, “This legislation   provides equity for North Carolina businesses that are hardest-hit by the economic shutdown and will deliver revenue for desperate small businesses by allowing safe outdoor-seating options.” In a statement about the veto, Cooper said, “State and local government leaders must be able to act quickly during the COVID-19 emergency to prevent a surge in cases that could overwhelm hospitals and harm the public. House Bill 536 would limit the ability of leaders to respond quickly to COVID-19 and hamper the health and safety of every North Carolinian.” 
  
  On June 9, the North Carolina state Senate considered legislation allowing gyms, health clubs, and fitness centers to reopen. This measure also included provisions from the bill Cooper vetoed allowing bars and restaurants to operate outdoors. North Carolina is one of seven states where a three-fifths vote of both chambers is required in order to override a gubernatorial veto. Republicans control 29 of the 30 seats required to override a veto in the state Senate and 65 of the 72 seats required in the state House. 

• May 26: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) vetoed House Bill 2054 that would have authorized counties to set less stringent rules than those imposed by the state on May 26. The bill also would have given the legislature the authority to block Gov. Kelly’s decisions on how the state should spend $1.2 billion in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds. 

• May 13: The Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm’s safer-at-home orders on May 13 following a legal challenge filed by Republican lawmakers. The court ruled Palm’s safer-at-home order was deemed “unlawful, invalid and unenforceable.” The court said Palm violated state law when she issued the order prohibiting residents from leaving their homes except for essential activities.  The court ordered that the legislature’s rule-making committee must approve all future restrictions before going into effect. 

• May 1: The Mississippi Legislature voted on May 1 to limit Gov. Tate Reeves’ (R) spending authority over $1.25 billion allocated to the state under the CARES Act. The state House and Senate moved $1.15 billion to a budget contingency fund, which cannot be spent without legislative action. On May 7, Reeves and the legislature reached a compromise allowing both the governor and legislature input in how CARES Act funds could be spent.

• April 20: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) vetoed Senate Bill 613 on April 20 which would have redefined essential businesses and allowed more businesses to reopen. After Wolf’s veto, his press secretary said, “As the administration has stated many times, irresponsibly going against the direction of the Secretary of Health and reopening businesses too early will only extend the length of the economic hardships created by the pandemic.”

Ballotpedia’s special Number of the Day series regarding attitudes toward COVID-19 concludes

On May 27, Ballotpedia launched a special edition series of Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day highlighting polling related to the effects of the coronavirus. These polls show how voters are responding to various state and local government policies and what they think the future will look like as we move along the path to recovery. The final Number of the Day in the series examines whether voters feel the worst of the pandemic is ahead or behind us.

These surveys also asked voters their opinion of the healthcare system, the economy, and how long businesses were likely to feel the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. We also asked voters whether they have a family member who lost their primary source of income due to shutdowns and if they believe businesses can decide whether their customers must wear masks.

We’ve compiled all these special editions of the Number of the Day in one place so you can explore this data at length.

Check out each one→

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