LANSING, MI (WTVB)– Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an Executive Order Thursday extending the State of Emergency through May 28.
The Republican-led Legislature refused to extend the declaration. Whitmer was asking for a 28 day extension before she extended it herself.
“Today I signed new emergency and disaster declarations using independent sources of statutory authority to make sure our health care workers and first responders have the tools they need to save lives and protect Michiganders,” Whitmer said.
The original declaration was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
Whitmer used the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945 to extend the order. She also extended the State of Disaster through May 28.
“While some members of the Legislature might believe this crisis is over, common sense and all of the scientific data tells us we’re not out of the woods yet. By refusing to extend the emergency and disaster declaration, Republican lawmakers are putting their heads in the sand and putting more lives and livelihoods at risk. I’m not going to let that happen,” Whitmer said.
The issue is expected certainly end up in court, as both the House and Senate gave its leadership the go-ahead to sue Whitmer if she continues issuing emergency executive orders after April 30.
“If she does not recognize the end of the emergency declaration, we have no other choice but to act for our constituents,” Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, said in a Senate floor speech Thursday evening.
Whitmer’s office also indicated she would not sign Senate Bill 858, amended legislation that laid out extension dates for certain executive orders issued by the governor. Notably, one of the provisions in the bill would allow restaurants, bars, gyms and other public-facing businesses to open May 15, still with some social distancing restrictions.
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