Maryland’s Governor Declares ‘State of Emergency.’ Here’s What That Means.
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. States of emergency are often in effect for catastrophic weather, but they are also used in many other situations. Gov. Wes Moore’s declaration of a state of emergency was intended […]
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States of emergency are often in effect for catastrophic weather, but they are also used in many other situations.
Only hours after a colossal cargo ship struck a major bridge in Baltimore and caused it to collapse on Tuesday, Maryland’s governor and Baltimore’s mayor each declared a state of emergency.
The order unlocks additional powers that can be used to deal with natural disasters or man-made crises, often by creating or suspending laws and by redirecting public funds to the task at hand.
In Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore’s declaration of a state of emergency was intended to provide additional public safety resources and to help meet the needs of residents or visitors affected by the collapse.
Here’s what you need to know:
Who can declare a state of emergency?
Every state in the country allows its governor to declare a state of emergency during extraordinary conditions.
Governors are “at the zenith of their power when they make an emergency order like this,” said Meryl Chertoff, executive director of the State and Local Government Policy and Law Project at Georgetown Law. “They can suspend laws, order evacuations, commandeer private property and impose curfews, among other powers.”
In about a half-dozen states, the legislature can also call an emergency.
Most states also allow leaders of cities, towns, villages and counties to declare a state of emergency in their local district.
