INDIANAPOLIS - State Officials in Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb's administration have defended his emergency powers at a Senate committee hearing as lawmakers continued to push bills that would limit the governor's ability to issue executive orders.

The state's top officials on Holcomb’s team continue to maintained the governor's capacity to quickly address emergencies has been critical to the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic. They say limitations to those powers could prohibit the state's current progress and delay urgent reactions to future public health emergencies or natural disasters.

Their testimony came as a response to bills advanced by the House and Senate that would curb a governor's authority to impose emergency restrictions such as mask rules and business closures.