LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, issued the following statement on Wednesday after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed her bill that would have limited emergency orders issued by the Department of Health and Human Services and all local public health orders to 28 days and require that any extension of such orders receive legislative approval before taking effect:
“Today, Gov. Whitmer vetoed an opportunity for Michiganders to have a say when unelected bureaucrats restrict their freedoms and close their businesses. While I had hoped for better, in the end, she did what we all knew she would do and again showed that her unilateral power is more important to her than her residents and their businesses. It comes as no surprise that the government would reject any attempt to limit its power or restore power to the people.
“The state Supreme Court made it clear that even after declaring an emergency, Gov. Whitmer does not have the right to extend her orders without the Legislature’s approval. If the governor can’t, it makes no sense that and her employee, an unelected bureaucrat can. My bill would have corrected this horrible oversight.
“We all face these challenges together, and we should join to overcome them — and my bill would have ensured the voices of the people could again be heard when making these decisions in Lansing. While the governor may have ended things with her veto today, I can assure you that we will not give up. Our citizens deserve to be heard.”
The bill would have also revoked the DHHS director’s ability to infringe on people’s religious liberties to freely worship and allowed any business that was subject to a health order to remain open if they maintained the health and safety precautions followed by businesses that are not ordered closed.
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