Whitmer Extends State of Emergency to July 16th

Even though Governor Gretchen Whitmer has relaxed restrictions in Michigan, she has extended the the state of emergency declaration related to the COVID-19 pandemic until July 16.  That means our elected representatives in Lansing will continue to have no say over any aspect of how the state is being run.  That means that the Governor could change her mind and re-instate any previous executive order or come up with some new ones.

Whitmer says it's all being done for the safety of Michigan families and workers.   “The aggressive measures we took at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have worked to flatten the curve, but there is still more to be done to prevent a second wave,”  Governor Whitmer said. “We owe it to the heroes on the front lines to keep doing our part by wearing a mask when in public and practicing social distancing. Now is not the time to get complacent. We must continue to stay vigilant and flexible in order to reduce the chance of a second wave.” 

Meanwhile a Federal Judge is putting pressure on the State Supreme Court to have another look at the constitutionality of the state of emergency extensions.  The court already upheld the Governor's actions on a 4-3 vote.

With the reduction in COVID-19 case counts, Governor Whitmer has relaxed restrictions over the last several weeks on business activities and daily life. On June 1, she announced that most of the state would move to Phase 4 of the governor’s Start plan, allowing retailers and restaurants to resume operations. Hair salons and other personal care services followed two weeks later. And on June 10, the Upper Peninsula and the region surrounding Traverse City were moved to Phase 5 allowing for the reopening of movie theaters, gyms and bowling alleys. If current trends continue the rest of the state will be moved to Phase 5 by July 4.