INDIANAPOLIS (WTWO/WAWV) — Governor Eric Holcomb on Friday vetoed House Enrolled Act No. 1123, which would have limited the governor’s ability to make unilateral decisions during emergencies. Some Indiana legislators believe Holcomb has overstepped his boundaries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to House Speaker Todd Huston, Holcomb said, in part, “I firmly believe a central part of this bill is unconstitutional. The legislation impermissibly attempts to give the General Assembly the ability to call itself into a special session, thereby usurping a power given exclusively to the governor under Article 4, Section 9 of the Indiana Constitution. As such, it seeks to accomplish that which the Indiana Constitution clearly prohibits.”

Holcomb went on to write, “I do want to be clear that I support efforts to increase partnership and collaboration between the legislative and executive branches during states of emergency. I remain willing to work with the General Assembly to address their concerns to represent our shared constituents during declared states of emergency.”