On Friday, May 22nd, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-100 to extend Michigan’s Safer at Home order until June 12, 2020. The governor’s order also protects Michiganders from the spread of COVID-19 by extending the temporary closure of certain places of public accommodation such as theaters, gyms, and casinos.
The governor also signed Executive Order 2020-99 to extend the state of emergency declaration related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was upheld by Judge Cynthia Stephens on May 21, 2020. The governor’s emergency declaration is extended until June 19, 2020.
“While the data shows that we are making progress, 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,” said Governor Whitmer. “If we open too soon, thousands more could die and our hospitals will get overwhelmed. While we finally have more protective equipment like masks, we can’t run the risk of running low again. We owe it to the real heroes on the front lines of this crisis – our first responders, health care workers, and critical workers putting their lives on the line every day – to do what we can ourselves to stop the spread of the virus.”
Executive Order 2020-100 also clarifies and, as necessary, extends the duration of a number of previous executive orders designed to protect Michiganders and to provide them the support they need. The extended orders cover protections for workers who stay home and stay safe when they or their close contacts are sick, restoring water service to those whose water has been shut off, the affirmation of non-discrimination policies in the provision of COVID-19 care, and more.
The E.O's extended under Executive Order 2020-100 include,
- Executive Order 2020-26. (Extension of April 2020 Michigan Income Tax Filing Deadlines)
- Executive Order 2020-28. (Restoring water service to occupied residences)
- Executive Order 2020-36. (Worker Protections)
- Executive Order 2020-39. (Temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of emergency medical services)
- Executive Order 2020-58. (Temporary suspension of certain timing requirements relating to the commencement of civil and probate actions and proceedings)
- Executive Order 2020-61. (Temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of medical services)
- Executive Order 2020-64 (Affirming anti-discrimination policies and requiring certain health care providers to develop equitable access to care protocols)
- Executive Order 2020-76 (Temporary expansions in unemployment eligibility and cost-sharing)
“All of us know the importance of getting people back to work and the economy moving again,” said Governor Whitmer. “We’ve already loosened some restrictions on construction, manufacturing, landscaping, retail, and more. But the worst thing we can do is open up in a way that causes a second wave of infections and death, puts health care workers at further risk, and wipes out all the progress we've made.”