Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the state of emergency and disaster declarations to May 28 earlier this week in a move that went head-to-head with Republicans in the Michigan legislature.
Whitmer ended the existing state of emergency and disaster declarations, which were set to end on April 30, and reissued them under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945 and the Emergency Management Act of 1976. Both new orders are set to expire on May 28.
“COVID-19 is an enemy that has taken the lives of more Michiganders than we lost during the Vietnam War,” Whitmer said in a statement. “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.”
The extension follows the passing of a Senate bill that would require both members of the Michigan legislature to approve an extension of such orders. Whitmer said she intends to veto the bill when it is presented to her and she will not sign other bills that restrain her power to “protect the people of Michigan form this deadly virus in a timely manner.
“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,” Whitmer said. “I’m not going to let that happen.”
The governor has previously gone up against the legislature, which refused to grant her a 70-day extension she originally asked for in early April. Republican leaders in both the House and the Senate said that the requested extension was too long. The legislature eventually granted her an extension of 23 days.
Whitmer blamed Republican lawmakers for “partisan games.”
“We’re all in this together. Defeating COVID-19 is an all hands on deck moment for our state, and I remain hopeful that Republicans in the legislature will stop the partisan games and start working with me to re-engage our economy safely and responsibly,” Whitmer said this week.
Michigan currently has more than 42,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The death toll in the state is 3,866.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
Photo “Gretchen Whitmer” by Gretchen Whitmer.
