New Jersey Republicans Want To Limit Executive Power

Cleve Bryan reports.

WE HAVE MORE ON THAT COMING UPON EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 5.I'M MATT PETRILLO CBS-3EYEWITNESS NEWS.NEW JERSEY'S TOP HEALTHOFFICIALS CHORDED THE SHUTDOWNOF A BELLMAWR GYM THAT HASDEFIED COVID-19 EMERGENCYMEASURES, BUT THE OWNERS OFATILIS GYM THEY'RE SAY WON'T LETTHAT STOP THEM, THEY CLOSED THEGYM YESTERDAY TO A PLUMBINGPROBLEM THE DEPARTMENT OF THEHEALTH HUNG SIGNS OVERNIGHT ANDTHE GYM REMAIN CLOSED TODAY.THE OWNERS SAY THEY WILL REOPENTOMORROW MORNING AND FACE THECONSEQUENCES.EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTERCLEVE BRYAN HAS MORE ON THOSEBUSINESS CLOSURE IN OUT JERSEYASK WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS ARENOW SAYING.CLEVE.WELL, HERE IN NEW JERSEY, THEHOSPITAL NUMBERS CONTINUE TOIMPROVE WITH TWICE AS MANYPEOPLE LEAVING THE HOSPITALS ASGOING IN WITH COVID-19.BUT THE GOVERNOR STILL GOINGSLOWLY THROUGH THE PROCESS OFREOPENING.AND NOW HE'S FACING CHALLENGESFROM ALL SIDES WHEN IT COMES TOHIS AUTHORITY TO KEEP THE STATECLOSED.NOW, SEVERAL REPUBLICANLAWMAKERS IN NEW JERSEYINTRODUCED A BILL TO LIMITCERTAIN EXECUTIVE ORDERS TO 15DAYS, THE NEW JERSEY GO P.ALSO ANNOUNCED THE LAWSUIT TOPUT ESSENTIAL AND NONESSENTIALBUSINESSES ON EQUAL FOOTING.NOW, WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENTOFFICIALS SAY COMPLIANCE WITHTHE EXECUTIVE ORDERS HAS BEENEXTREMELY GOOD FOR THE LAST TWOWHOS BY AND LARGE, THOSEFRUSTRATED WITH KEEPINGBUSINESSES CLOSED AND CANCELINGCHURCH SERVICES AND OTHERGATHERING ARE BECOMING MOREVOCAL AND ACTING OUT IN DEFINESAS WE'VE SEEN.GOVERNOR MURPHY RESPONDED TODAYSAYING HIS DEFINITION OFESSENTIAL BUSINESS IS NOTARBITRARY.I'VE GOT NOTHING TO ADD ON ASUIT.WE MAKE THE DECISION ABOUTWHAT'S ESSENTIAL AND WHAT'S NOTESSENTIAL WITH THE INPUT OFBASED ON DATA, SCIENCE, FACTS,HEALTH, AND A BIG, BIG INPUTFROM THE WOMEN TO MY RIGHT.AND THEIR COLLEAGUES.SO I'M SORRY IF FOLKS DON'T LIKETHE DEFINITIONS, BUT THE FACT OFTHE MATTER IS THEY'RE QUITECONSISTENT, BY THE WAY, IN TERMSOF ESSENTIAL NONESSENTIAL THATHAS BEEN DESIGNATED NATIONALLYAS WELL AND WE'RE GOING TOCONTINUE TO TRY TO OPEN THESEUP.NOW, A BIG QUESTION IS:WHO'S RIGHT?IS IT THE GOVERNOR?IS IT THE PEOPLE THAT ARECHALLENGES HIS AUTHORITY?COMING UP LATER WE'LL HEAR FROMA LAW PROFESSOR AT RUTGERS WHO'SAN EXPERT ON THE NEW JERSEYCONSTITUTION.