Gretchen Whitmer Vetoes Bill That Was Going To Limit Her Emergency Powers In Michigan

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer just vetoed a bill that would have given her state legislature some power over her emergency orders.

Whitmer Vetoes Bill

Senate Bill 1 reportedly called for Michigan’s public health code to be amended in a way that capped orders issued by the state’s Director of the Department of Health and Human Services at no longer than 28 days unless the director seeks and obtains approval by both houses of the state legislature.

“Unfortunately, epidemics are not limited to 28 days,” Whitmer wrote in a veto letter obtained by MLive.com. “We should not so limit our ability to respond to them.”

The bill that Whitmer vetoed was set to apply retroactively to all emergency orders issued on or after Nov. 15, 2020, invalidating them absent legislative approval.

Whitmer Infamous For Her Orders

Whitmer has become infamous for her executive orders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as she has been one of the strictest governors in the country when it comes to issuing regulations.

She is currently being slammed for an April 15, 2020, order that said nursing homes “must not prohibit admission or readmission of a resident based on COVID-19 testing requirements or results.”

Earlier this month, the Michigan state Senate gave Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, the authority to sue Whitmer if her administration tries to spend any money tie-barred to the passage of Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 4049, which would have shifted shift authority on closing in-person learning and sporting events during the COVID-19 pandemic from the state to local health departments.

‘The People Of Michigan Know What To Do’

“The people of Michigan know what to do, and they’re just waiting to be informed, inspired, encouraged and trusted,” Shirkey said. “We’re still under an environment where this governor does not trust citizens of Michigan to do the right thing.”

While Whitmer has become beloved by Democrats all over the country over the past year given her numerous media appearance, Republicans in her state despise her for the fact that she effectively wants to control every aspect of the lives of the people in her state. It remains to be seen if Whitmer’s growing number of scandals will finally catch up to her.

This piece was written by James Samson on March 25, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.