SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2020 SPECIAL SESSION I

20200259D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5005
Offered August 18, 2020
Prefiled August 18, 2020
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article V a section numbered 7-A, relating to executive power; state of emergency; limitations.
----------
Patron-- Freitas
----------
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
----------

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, a majority of the members elected to each house agreeing, That the following amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same hereby is, proposed and referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates for its concurrence in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia, namely:

Amend the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article V a section numbered 7-A as follows:

ARTICLE V
EXECUTIVE

Section 7-A. Emergency powers.

The Governor shall have the powers and duties related to states of emergency as provided by general law, except that no declared state of emergency shall be in effect for more than seven days unless approved by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. During a declared state of emergency, the constitutionally protected rights of all individuals shall not be suspended.