The Legislature will meet Tuesday to vote on resolutions to extend Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers to address the COVID-19 outbreak. The House and the Senate have adopted special rules for in-person voting while adhering to health protections.
House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) says long-distance voting is not an option right now.
“There would certainly be some security, technology, transparency, legal concerns, and we certainly would not want to allow that precedent to be started unless it’s done the right way.”
The special rules will only allow a few lawmakers on the floor at any given time to cast votes. The process is expected to take several hours.
Republican leaders have not agreed to Governor Whitmer’s request for a 70-day extension.
The resolutions will extend the governor’s order until May 1. It could be renewed, but the Legislature would have to re-convene to do that.
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