MONTGOMERY (AP) — Alabama senators on Thursday delayed action on a bill that would curtail the powers of the governor and state health officer in a pandemic or other health emergency.

The proposal by Republican Sen. Tom Whatley of Auburn would require legislators to get involved to extend a public health emergency past 120 days. It would also require the governor to sign off on orders of the state health officer.

The proposal is one of a number of bills introduced in the wake of the COVID-10 pandemic to rein in the power of the governor and the state health officer to issue orders. Republicans in favor of the bill said there needs to be checks on the executive power, while a Democratic senator argued it would inject politics into health decisions.

“If we had to wait on this Legislature, we probably would be all dead,” Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro.

Singleton claimed some Republicans didn’t believe in mask-wearing until several senators became ill.

Whatley said Thursday that he still has additional work to do on the bill.

President Pro Tempore Greg Reed, R-Jasper, said lawmakers are trying to find a balance.

“We’ve gone for a year now that the Legislature has not had an opportunity to engage because there’s no statutory option for us to do so,” Reed said.