LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday extended Michigan's state of emergency through Sept. 4, amid continued high daily case numbers, ongoing pushback from Republican lawmakers and an accelerated petition drive to sharply curtail her emergency powers.
The state of emergency had been set to expire at the end of the day Tuesday.
Michigan's state of emergency should not be confused with the stay-at-home order, which Whitmer lifted June 1. A state of emergency does not by itself place any restrictions on Michigan residents, but it authorizes the governor to issue orders placing such restrictions, such as ones requiring mask-wearing or limiting restaurant capacity to 50%.
"We are in a crucial time in our fight against COVID-19, and we must do everything we can to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and the brave men and women on the front lines of this crisis from a second wave,” Whitmer said in a news release.
"I will continue to use every tool at my disposal to protect Michiganders from the spread of this virus. I want to remind everyone in Michigan to wear a mask, practice safe physical distancing, and do everything in your power to fight COVID-19.”
Friday's extension of the state of emergency is the latest in a series of extensions Whitmer has made unilaterally since May, when the Republican-controlled Legislature declined to grant an extension under the Emergency Management Act of 1976.
That refusal left Whitmer with only one major legislative tool in her toolbox — the Emergency Powers of Governor Act of 1945, which does not require the Legislature to sign off on a state of emergency.
Unlock Michigan, a group with strong ties to the Republican Party, has collected more than 100,000 valid signatures in the last three weeks on its way to a goal of 500,000 signatures, in a bid to repeal the law, spokesman Fred Wszolek said Friday.
Under Michigan's provisions for citizens' legislative initiatives, iIf the group submits more than 340,000 valid signatures to the Legislature within the required time frame, the House and Senate could vote to repeal the Emergency Powers of Governor Act and Whitmer would have no veto power to stop the repeal.
Wszolek said Unlock Michigan expects to submit the required signatures before the end of October, and possibly sooner. More than 68,000 activists have asked for signature kits, he said.
Whitmer has expressed increasing concern about high coronavirus case numbers in recent weeks, though she said this week that new cases appear to have reached a new plateau, with daily cases in the 600s and 700s. Whitmer announced no new restrictions on economic or social activities at her news conference Wednesday.
Instead, she continued to urge adherence to measures announced earlier, especially stressing the wearing of masks.
Republican leaders have slammed Whitmer's orders as arbitrary and contradictory, most recently her July 29 announcement that the size of gatherings and indoor service at bars serving alcohol would be dialed back Up North, at the same time she announced Detroit's three casinos would be allowed to open at 15% capacity.
"Same day Governor allows Detroit casinos to reopen, she orders Northern Michigan and UP to go backwards," House Speaker Lee Chatfield said on Twitter.
"Science? Data? Sorry, but this seems more like political science."
More: Republican state senator who sought repeal of emergency law tests positive for coronavirus
More: Gov. Whitmer declares racism a public health crisis in Michigan
Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, announced Aug. 2 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, after hosting an Unlock Michigan signing event on July 18 that he said drew 580 people from 21 Michigan counties.
The signing event was billed as a drive-through, but Barrett acknowledged Friday that many exited their vehicles and mingled outdoors after signing the petition at a table. Photos taken at the event show Barrett, not wearing a mask, standing a few feet away from others in attendance, and in one case, reaching out to shake the hand of another man, who was also not wearing a mask.
Barrett said he was not aware whether state coronavirus contact tracers had shown any interest in the event.
According to an article in Healthline, there is no evidence that protests related to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police resulted in an increase in COVID-19 cases, Barrett said.
"If the media insists the BLM (Black Lives Matter) outdoor protests have not at all increased COVID transmission, then certainly another outdoor activity wouldn't either, unless you believe the virus has a political agenda," Barrett said.
Whitmer this week halted in-person news conferences, switching to conferences held online. The switch was in part an effort to comply with a Whitmer order limiting indoor gatherings to 10, said Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown.
But she also cited the infection of Barrett, saying he had potentially infected "his fellow senators, staff, and members of the media."
That drew pushback from Republicans who noted Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist presided over the most recent Senate session Barrett attended, before speaking at a Whitmer news conference on Wednesday. Also, the governor took no similar action earlier this year after two House Democrats from Detroit, Reps. Tyrone Carter and Karen Whitsett, tested positive for the coronavirus.
Barrett "is not the first person to test positive in the Legislature," said Amber McCann, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake.
Brown said Friday that Gilchrist was tested for the coronavirus and the test came back negative on Tuesday, the day before he spoke at Whitmer's news conference. As for similar actions not being taken after Whitsett and Carter tested positive, Brown said the infection of Barrett was only one reason for the change.
"This will always be about safety," she said.
Also Friday, Whitmer signed an executive order prohibiting employers from "discharging, disciplining, or retaliating against employees who make the responsible choice to stay home when they or their close contacts are sick."
She said she took the action partly in response to the recent expiration of the $600 per week bonus payment the federal government had added to state unemployment checks during the pandemic. Removing the $600 payment puts more pressure on people to return to work, even if they are sick, Whitmer siad
On Tuesday, Whitmer issued a directive to state agencies, including the Michigan State Police, to ensure enforcement of her orders related to the coronavirus pandemic, including ones related to wearing masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces, as well as capacity restrictions for bars and restaurants.
She said any violations of the order could negatively impact business licensing.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.
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