Most of California’s coronavirus restrictions on businesses and public gatherings will end June 15. But Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he’s not ready to give up the broad powers he has to impose those rules, saying he will keep a statewide state of emergency declaration in place. The declaration gives Newsom authority to suspend state laws and impose new rules. Since declaring this emergency, Newsom has issued at least 58 executive orders to alter or suspend hundreds of laws because of the virus. Those included issuing a statewide stay-at-home order that forced many businesses to close and halted public gatherings like concerts, sporting events, graduations and weddings. Friday, Newsom reiterated his commitment to lifting most coronavirus restrictions on June 15, but he noted varying vaccination rates in other states and countries could require him to issue new restrictions in the future.
