Keywords: Governor. Civil Defense. Public Health. Constitutional Law, Governor, Separation of powers, Right to assemble. Due Process of Law. Statute, Construction. Words, “Other natural causes
The SJC upheld the Governor’s authority under public health statutes to issue state of emergency and orders. Assistant Attorney General Margaret Hurley stated: “A huge congratulations to my colleagues in the Attorney General’s Office who worked very hard on this case (and many other similar cases)!” [Excerpt] – “We conclude that the CDA provides authority for the Governor’s March 10, 2020, declaration of a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and for the issuance of the subsequent emergency orders; the emergency orders do not violate art. 30 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights; and the emergency orders do not violate the plaintiffs’ Federal or State constitutional rights to procedural and substantive due process or free assembly.”