A state of emergency is a declaration that a government has taken due to a crisis. This allows them to act quickly to prevent loss of life, and typically gives them many powers they wouldn’t normally have (such as limiting travel).
It is often invoked during natural disasters, such as hurricanes or wildfires. It is also used in cases of a major disease outbreak, as well as during riots or political unrest. The power to declare a state of emergency is often delegated to the governor, but it can be granted to other government officials as well. The exact details of how a state of emergency is declared vary across countries.
The state of emergency is a law, and therefore can be changed at any time by the executive branch of government. It can apply to the whole country, a specific region, or just a particular sector of the population. The president is allowed to enact regulations during this period, which can include suspending civil rights. These restrictions must be “reasonably justifiable” and are limited in duration to deal with the current situation.
The state of emergency is a powerful tool for dealing with emergencies, but it can be misused to suppress political opposition or to ignore human rights concerns. The Weimar Constitution, for example, allowed states of emergency under Article 48, which was often invoked during the 14-year life of that republic. The state of emergency may also be used to bypass normal procedures for delivering assistance, such as bringing in contractors to help rebuild infrastructure without the usual requests and approvals required under regular conditions.