[alancarp]

By my reading of the Florida Statutes, the Governor has the legal authority to issue an Executive Order declaring a state f emergency regarding the imminent threat to the health of a citizen of Florida, and thereby directing the Dept. of Health and the Agency for Health Care Administration to solve the emergency -- which can extend for up to 60 days... unless then renewed (by the Governor!)

Obviously, the statutes were written with the expectation that some sort of natural disaster or calamity impacts tens, hundreds, or thousands of Floridians.... however, there is no "count" or indication of "scope" that is required before a state of emergency may be declared.

See Fla. Statutes Chapter 252 (emergency management; http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=CH0252/Sec36.HTM) . The Governors emergency management powers are defined in 252.36.

[alancarp]

I'll further add some fuel to this fire: pursuant to 252.36(5)(d), I also suggest that the Governor -- after delcaring a state of emergency -- commandeer the private resident of Schiavo's husband in order to provide a staging area for the state team to begin resolving Terry's health care emergency.

[88keys]

See Fla. Statutes...

I do hope you might be on to something here..."interpretation of laws" can work both ways! Thanks for the "research"!