Michigan stay home order extended to June 12, Gov. Whitmer orders

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends Michigan stay home order to June 12

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday extended her stay-at-home order past its scheduled May 28 expiration to June 12, adding that public venues such as theaters, gyms and casinos would remain closed.

She also extended her state of emergency declaration covering the state due to the coronavirus pandemic to June 19.

She said while coronavirus cases and deaths are clearly declining, "we are not out of the woods yet."

"If we’re going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbors and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home," she said in a statement first reported by the Free Press.

Whitmer's announcement comes a day after she made several changes to further relax a sweeping stay-at-home order that has been in place since March, allowing social gatherings of 10 people or less immediately and telling retail businesses that sell goods they can reopen to customers for appointment-only shopping Tuesday.

That change also allows for nonemergency dental and doctor services to resume next Friday and Whitmer said Thursday that she would continue to relax the order as warranted by the data. She had previously allowed some retail businesses, such as garden stores and bicycle repair shops to reopen, and at 12:01 a.m. Friday, bars, restaurants and other businesses and offices on the Upper Peninsula and in northern Michigan around Traverse City, could open to customers, provided they limited their customers, made sure people stayed 6 feet apart and required masks.

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More: Gov. Whitmer to allow partial reopening of northern Michigan, starting Friday

Manufacturing and construction have resumed as well, under strict regulations. But many parts of Whitmer's rules — which have been challenged in court and led to protests at the state Capitol — continue to disrupt the lives of Michiganders.

Large gatherings, for instance, are not allowed, and people must wear masks or other face coverings when in closed spaces. Barbershops and hair salons remain closed, as well as sporting and entertainment venues, gyms, casinos and more. Short-term vacation rentals are not allowed. Schools and camps remain closed.

The extension of the order means all of those rules will remain in place at least until June 12, unless Whitmer decides to relax them before that.

As the impact of the virus has lessened in recent weeks, many states across the U.S. have either entirely lifted their orders or relaxed them somewhat, as Whitmer has.

While opponents of the governor, including Republican leaders in the state Legislature, have challenged her authority both to issue such orders and to extend them, they so far have withstood legal efforts to reverse them. A Court of Claims judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Legislature questioning Whitmer's right to extend a state of emergency in Michigan under the law.

That decision was appealed by legislative leaders on Friday but for now it means Whitmer can extend her stay-at-home order.

Republican leaders did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Free Press about the extension but state Republican Party Chairman Laura Cox criticized the decision.

"Not only is Gretchen Whitmer going around the state Legislature with her stay-at-home orders, but now she is sneaking around the people of Michigan by announcing an extension to her stay at home order after regular business hours on a holiday weekend. The only thing she is trying to keep safe is her political career." said Cox.

A poll released this week by the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce found that 64% of Michigan voters surveyed support her handling of the crisis, compared with 33% who did not.

As of Friday, 5,158 Michiganders have died of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, since March and the state has recorded 53,913 cases, making it one of the hardest hit states in the nation. Whitmer has repeatedly said she will continue parts of the order, or potentially reinstate them, to prevent a resurgence.

“If we open too soon, thousands more could die and our hospitals will get overwhelmed," she said. "While we finally have more protective equipment like masks, we can’t run the risk of running low again."

The governor said she was also extending the duration of other orders issued to protect workers, allowing them to remain at home if they or others around them are sick; restoring water service to those whose water has been shut off, and affirming nondiscrimination policies when providing care to people who contract the virus as well as others.

Contact Todd Spangler: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.