Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8 and Title 58, Chapter 2.

In the event of an emergency beyond local control, present law authorizes the governor to assume direct operational control over all or any part of the emergency management functions within this state and to issue, amend, and rescind executive orders, proclamations, and rules. If the governor declares a state of emergency, the state of emergency continues until the governor finds that the threat or danger has been dealt with to the extent that the emergency conditions no longer exist and the governor terminates the state of emergency by executive order or proclamation, but no state of emergency may continue for longer than 60 days unless renewed by the governor. This bill reduces from 60 days to 15 days the maximum duration of a state of emergency that the governor declares based on a public health emergency. Additionally, this bill adds requirements that a declaration of a state of emergency based on a public health emergency will not take effect unless approved by both speakers and that any extension of such declaration requires authorization in the form of a joint resolution of the general assembly. This bill defines "public health emergency" to mean an occurrence or the imminent threat of an illness or health condition, caused by bioterrorism, epidemic or pandemic disease, or a novel and highly fatal infectious agent or biological toxin, that poses a substantial risk of a significant number of human fatalities or incidents of permanent or long-term disability.