MI Senate Passes Bill to Stop the Ban of Family Gatherings

The Michigan Senate has passed a bill that would limit health official's power to ban things.

A new bill has passed through the Michigan Senate that would stop state and county health departments from banning family gatherings during a pandemic or emergency situation. The bill that passed on Monday would stop health department officials from making emergency orders that would ban any number of family members from gathering at a sporting event, private residence, or a restaurant.

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In the new bill, sporting events include school, college, and any organized sporting activity and family members include spouses, children, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. The bill would also amend laws in Michigan so health officials cannot stop someone from traveling between one or more properties they own, stop a high school graduation commencement ceremony, or stop someone from shopping at a store.

Throughout this pandemic, we have seen many restrictions put on people and families. Some of these restrictions seem to hurt larger families more than others and this has had a huge effect on their mental well-being...As long as families at restaurants, supporters at sporting events, and families in their homes are taking the proper steps to protect people from the virus, they shouldn’t be subjected to restrictions that limit them more than a smaller family...said Senator Michael MacDonald of Macomb Township. 

Now that the bill as passed through the Michigan Senate, it will move on to the Michigan House of Representatives for review. To learn more about bill SB 257, click here. 

Source: MLive