Associated Press
MICHIGAN GOV. GRETCHEN Whitmer addresses the state Wednesday in Lansing, Mich. (Michigan Office of the Governor via AP)
LANSING, Mich. (AP) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday she hopes to let restaurants reopen for indoor dining on Feb. 1, as her health department extended a two-month ban by an additional two weeks while letting non-contact sports resume this weekend.
The plan is to allow dining with mitigation measures, capacity limits and a curfew. Organized non-contact sports and group exercise classes can start Saturday.
“Our numbers have been headed in the right direction,” the Democratic said during a news conference while noting a recent slight uptick in the percent of tests coming back positive. “The pause that (the state) issued is working.”
Michigan House Republicans on Wednesday introduced ethics policies they hope can at least begin to restore some of that trust. Reformers say it’s a baby step and several wholesale changes are needed in a state that ranks among the nation’s worst for government ethics and transparency laws.
The Republican plan would create new conflict-of-interest policies for lawmakers, prohibiting them from voting on legislation from which they or their family could benefit. A companion proposal seeks to limit runaway partisanship in “lame-duck” sessions by requiring two-thirds approval to advance legislation following even-year November elections.
Reform advocates say now is the time to consider novel ideas to reimagine politics and curb the kind of partisan polarization and fractures exposed in last week’s attacks on the democratic process.
Michigan's Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey says he tested positive for COVID-19 over Christmas break. He believes he caught it during a visit to the House when he removed his mask for 25 minutes to listen to a colleague's remarks.