Read Article The Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee rejected more than a dozen bills seeking to constrain Gov. Janet Mills’ executive authority during a civil state of emergency in a series of party-line votes Monday. The bills are a response to conservative complaints that ongoing COVID-19 restrictions ordered by the Democratic governor under a public health emergency are damaging livelihoods and violating citizens’ rights. But the Legislature’s majority Democrats have largely supported the Mills administration’s response to the pandemic while praising the governor for saving lives and saving the state’s economy. The bills Monday were all sponsored by Republicans, and voted ought not to pass by majority Democrats on the committee during more than two hours of remote voting in a work session.