Bucco: Murphy Should Let Public Health Emergency Expire, Give Back Powers & Parental Rights

Senator Anthony M. Bucco said Governor Phil Murphy should let the current Public Health Emergency expire this week and give back emergency powers and parental rights to New Jerseyans.

“By every metric, New Jersey’s COVID numbers have plummeted to the point that overbearing mandates and executive orders are completely unnecessary,” said Bucco (R-25). “Governor Murphy should let the Public Health Emergency expire this week and give back the emergency powers and parental rights he has taken from New Jerseyans.”

Governor Murphy announced yesterday that he is renewing the 30-day Public Health Emergency he declared on January 11 for another 30 days, instead of allowing it to expire later this week.

Since his mask mandate for children in schools and day cares was issued under his emergency powers stemming from the Public Health Emergency, Murphy said he was extending the emergency so the mask requirement could remain in effect until March 7.

“There’s no justification to drag this on for another month while children continue to suffer both educationally and emotionally,” added Bucco. “Governor Murphy has ruled through emergency powers for far too long, and he’s taken away parents’ rights over all of their objections. He should give it all back now.”

On Thursday, Senate Republicans launched the “Give It Back” initiative to give New Jerseyans an opportunity to tell Governor Phil Murphy in a unified voice to give back everything he has taken from them over the past two years, including emergency powers and parental rights to make mask decisions for their children.

More than 4,000 New Jerseyans have already told Governor Murphy to “Give It Back” at http://www.giveitback.us.