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Michigan Gov. Whitmer, Legislature debate 28-day extension of State of Emergency

Whitmer says emergency powers do not require a vote of the legislature

DETROIT – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said her emergency powers do not require a vote of the Legislature but she is still asking for that body to approve a 28-day extension of her emergency declaration.

As of Tuesday night there was no consensus but the Republican leadership and the governor said talks are ongoing.

READ: Extending Michigan’s State of Emergency is not the same thing as extending the stay-at-home order

“We’ve got some productive conversations going on. I know that they are interested in better understanding some of the work the MERC, the Economic Recovery Council is doing,” Whitmer said.

There is real pushback on this because many GOP legislators think there have been arbitrary executive orders and feel the reopening of the economy is not moving along at the speed it should.

MORE: Michigan Republican leaders want reopening plan to move more quickly before they extend State of Emergency

“I have a lot of people contacting me, just demanding that they be able to go back to work,” Rep. Pam Hornberger, R-Chesterfield, said.

She represents parts of Macomb and St. Clair counties. She said she’s voting no on extending the emergency declaration.

Hornberger said the regional reopening of the state needs work and she, along with representatives from St. Clair and Lapeer counties, think those two areas should not be included with the tri-county area because their COVID-19 cases are so much lower.

Whitmer’s current declaration expires Thursday.

Click here to read more about coronavirus in Michigan


About the Authors
Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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