When we first became aware of the dangers of COVID-19 in March 2020, our state was able to act nimbly and effectively, thanks to the emergency powers granted to the governor’s office. Gov. Roy Cooper was able to assess the situation and, relying on advice from state Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, take quick action without having to clear his decisions through legislation, through a committee — or through the 10-member Council of State.

Some of his decisions, such as closing schools and imposing curfews on businesses, were unpopular. But they doubtlessly saved lives.

Residents of the state were happy enough with Cooper’s response that they elected him to a second term last year.

In the face of this success, Republicans in the state legislature have been trying to pass bills that would hinder such effective responses in the future, requiring the governor to gain the approval of the Council of State (six of whom are Republicans) to either implement or extend emergency executive orders, the Winston-Salem Journal’s Richard Craver reported earlier this week.

“Don’t mess with success” doesn’t seem to be among the inspirational quotes hanging on their walls.

“Emergency” being the operative word, this is a particularly bad idea, and dangerous. An emergency — especially a public health crisis — calls for a clear-headed and decisive response, not the kind of horse-trading that politics typically bring to the table and not the confusion and indecision that a 10-member board would introduce to the mix.

Cooper vetoed several Republican-sponsored bills intended to limit his powers during the 2020 and 2021 sessions. But two more bills have cleared the state House during the current session and are awaiting the Senate’s attention.

The first, House Bill 264, would set a seven-day expiration on any executive order that does not have the Council of State’s concurrence and a 30-day expiration for an order that does unless the legislature votes to extend the order.

The second, House Bill 211, would allow establishments that serve food and drink to operate and conduct business activities under certain conditions. If it becomes law, it would supersede any emergency executive order by the governor or a municipal or county ordinance.

These bills would limit the governor’s ability to act in the face of emergencies like COVID-19. If they reach him, Cooper can be expected to veto them post haste, as he should.

It’s no secret that Republicans would like to have opened the state much earlier than Cooper’s timeline. They’ve argued that Cooper ignored their input during the pandemic.

But considering the frivolous attitude many of them displayed toward COVID — Cooper’s opponent in the 2020 gubernatorial race, Dan Forest, practically ran on defying safety precautions, holding events in which masks and social distancing were rare — it’s hard to imagine what input might have been helpful.

On top of that, Republicans in the legislature have been trying to swipe Cooper’s gubernatorial powers — powers that they were happy for his predecessor, a Republican, to have — since he first took office. These bills just seem like a continuance of that project.

Given the way Republicans politicized mask-wearing and other safety precautions, not to mention their indulgence in disinformation — Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson of Greensboro has suggested that COVID is part of a “globalist” conspiracy — we’re not sure they could be trusted to handle future emergencies. If a deadly airborne virus didn’t lead them to rise above politics, what would?

Though there have been a few hiccups along the way, by and large, Cooper’s approach — dropping the politics and following scientific guidance — has been successful. Certainly, there’s room for improvement. But improvement can’t be found by abandoning what worked. The legislature should expend its energy elsewhere.

— Greensboro News & Record