LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – As expected, Governor Gretchen Whitmer Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have halted emergency public health orders after 28 days unless the Legislature approved. The legislation was an attempt by the state’s Republican lawmakers to be more a part of the decisions on how to manage the coronavirus pandemic in Michigan.
In issuing the veto Whitmer said, the bill “would recklessly undermine” efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The Governor has recently turned to the state’s health department to set many virus-related rules in Michigan, including mask mandates, limits on gathering sizes, and a ban on indoor restaurant dining, since losing a court case in October. The state Supreme Court said a 1945 law that served as the foundation for months of Whitmer’s unilateral orders was unconstitutional.
The state reported more than 4,200 new cases Wednesday and 51 deaths. More than 12,000 Michigan residents have died since March.
“We all want this pandemic to be over. Let’s do what needs to be done now so we can return to a strong economy and normal day-to-day activities,” Whitmer said in her veto letter.
Whitmer also vetoed a bill that would have repealed the 1945 law that the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional.
