Is it time to end the public health emergency?

It's been thirty months since it was first declared, and senators will vote Friday on a proposed override of the governor's veto of a bill that would effectively end it.

It was Sen. Chris Duenas who called for the override of his vetoed bill.

"Madame Speaker, several days ago the president of the United States declared the pandemic is over," he said.

And while the White House has tried to walk back the president's statement, during legislative session Wednesday Duenas and fellow republican Frank Blas Jr. said it begs the question, why are we still in a state of emergency?

"There can be really maybe only one or two reasons, and that's not to have to deal with the open government law and the pesky procurement requirements," Blas said. "Because you want to keep the legislature out of doing its basic fiduciary responsibility of helping managing the purse strings of the government."

"And have been forced to fund measures that we had no say in its promulgation or its enactment because it was done by executive order," Blas said.

In the bigger picture, Duenas says many in the public have felt isolated and rebuffed by some of the governor's emergency policies.

"There are teachers, and critical care workers and others on our island, Madame Speaker, who have left the island or even left their professions because they were discriminated against, even till today."

He argues about the need for checks and balance, and that the emergency powers law has to be changed before the next time so.

"That this body has a larger role in the event something God-awful like that would take place," Duenas said.

The vetoed bill would've required the governor to seek legislative approval to extend a public health emergency beyond the first two months. This is will be the fourth time senators will vote on an override. .