Senate delays vote on bill to curb pandemic powers KIM CHANDLER, Associated Press FacebookTwitterEmail MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama senators on Thursday delayed action on a bill that would curtail the powers of the governor and state health officer in a pandemic or other health emergency. The proposal by Republican Sen. Tom Whatley of Auburn would require legislators to get involved to extend a public health emergency past 120 days. It would also require the governor to sign off on orders of the state health officer. The proposal is one of a number of bills introduced in the wake of the COVID-10 pandemic to rein in the power of the governor and the state health officer to issue orders. Republicans in favor of the bill said there needs to be checks on the executive power, while a Democratic senator argued it would inject politics into health decisions.