SB 871 - Limits Governor’s disaster powers

SB 871 is a legislative reform designed to restore constitutional balance between Texas’ executive and legislative branches during emergencies. It ensures that no single official can indefinitely wield broad emergency powers, particularly when it comes to restricting businesses or suspending laws. By requiring the governor to call lawmakers back into session to extend disaster declarations or impose business closures, it puts key decisions back in the hands of elected representatives. This promotes transparency, prevents government overreach, and safeguards liberty even during crises. The bill also protects elections from being altered by executive order, and prohibits the use of emergency powers to keep bloated state agencies alive beyond their scheduled expiration.