The governor has extended her emergency orders to May 28.  Order 2020-69 was signed Thursday evening at 9:27 pm.  To read it, please click here.

In a news release, the governor noted these excerpts from the order:

“This order does not restrict a place of business from offering food and beverage using delivery service, window service, walk-up service, drive-through service, or drive-up service. Places of public accommodation are encouraged to offer food and beverage service in one or more of those ways and use precautions to mitigate potential transmission of COVID-19, including social distancing and wearing as face covering. Restaurants may allow five people inside at a time to pick up orders, so long as they stay six feet apart from each other.  
  
“These restrictions do not apply to the following locations: office buildings, grocery stores, markets, food pantries, pharmacies, drug stores, and providers of medical equipment and supplies, health care facilities, residential care facilities, congregate care facilities, and juvenile justice facilities, warehouse and distribution centers, and industrial and manufacturing facilities. 

If you read to the bottom 2020-69, you will find that it reasserts order 2020-59. “The restrictions and requirements imposed by this order supplement, and must not be construed to diminish or relax in any way, the restrictions and requirements imposed by Executive Order 2020-59 or any executive order that may follow from it.

To read 2020-59 signed on April 24th, please click here. 

Here are some direct quotes from the governor’s news release regarding  2020-59: 

“The order will require people to wear homemade, non-medical grade face coverings when they enter enclosed public spaces. It will also require employers to provide at least cloth face coverings to their employees. People won’t have to wear face coverings when they’re taking a walk in the neighborhood, but when they go to the grocery store, they should be wearing one. Under the order, however, no one will be subject to criminal penalty for going without a mask.  

“The new executive order will also allow some workers who perform very previously suspended activities to go back on the job. Landscapers, lawn-service companies, and nurseries can return to work, subject to strict social distancing. Retailers to that do not sell necessary supplies may reopen for curbside pick-up and for delivery. Big box stores can reopen “closed areas,” like garden centers. And bike repair and maintenance can come back online.  

“At the same time, the order will ease up on some restrictions on members of the public. It will, for example, allow motorized boating and golf (but no golf carts), consistent with sound social distancing. It will also permit individuals to travel between their residences, though such travel during the epidemic is strongly discouraged. And it will clarify that state parks remain open, as they have been throughout the emergency. 

The governor’s actions have been controversial as witnessed by protests in Lansing and reaction from the legislature.  The following is provided to further understanding.    

The governor’s new order went forward without the legislature.  The Bridge wrote on April 29, that the governor would not negotiate regarding her orders:  

“With tensions high at the Michigan Capitol, the Whitmer administration took the rare step of disclosing an internal email exchange with a top aide to Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, who proposed extending an emergency declaration set to expire Friday by up to two weeks in exchange for a public promise by the governor to work with lawmakers on future orders.”

“The first-term Democrat, who has requested a 28-day extension, rejected the offer and told GOP leaders she believes she has the authority to continue emergency actions with or without their blessing.”

Senator Shirkey from Clark Lake, was interviewed on April 29th.  To hear his comments that appear on the MIRSNews.com website, please click here

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