Lawmaker’s effort to end Governor’s statewide COVID emergency defeated

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - A Riverside County lawmaker's attempt to end the COVID-based state of emergency declared by Gov. Gavin Newsom two years ago was defeated today in a party-line state Senate committee vote.Sen. Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, endeavored on previous occasions to secure hearings regarding the governor's ongoing use of emergency powers. She said Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, last month finally agreed to calendar her latest measure, Senate Concurrent Resolution 5.It was heard by the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization, whose four Republican members voted in favor of the proposal, and whose eight Democrat members voted against it, killing the resolution."I'm extremely disappointed my colleagues in the majority party lacked th