Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement released Sunday that COVID-19 emergency orders will no longer be enforced by her office following a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision.
Nessel's office added that going forward, other law enforcement agencies or state departments have independent enforcement authority regarding COVID-19 safety measures.
On Friday, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer didn't have the authority to issue COVID-19 order after April 30.
The court struck down months of orders by Whitmer that were aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus, saying she illegally drew authority from a 1945 law that doesn’t apply.
Following that decision, Nessel says that "it’s her fervent hope that people continue to abide by the measures that Governor Whitmer put in place," since those measure have saved lives.
Read AG Nessel's full statement below.
In light of the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday, the Attorney General will no longer enforce the Governor’s Executive Orders through criminal prosecution.
However, her decision is not binding on other law enforcement agencies or state departments with independent enforcement authority. It’s her fervent hope that people continue to abide by the measures that Governor Whitmer put in place - like wearing face masks, adhering to social distancing requirements and staying home when sick - since they’ve proven effective at saving lives.
If it weren’t for the Governor’s actions, countless more of our friends, family and neighbors would have been lost to COVID-19. We can respect both the court’s decision and the advice of medical experts by continuing with these important measures voluntarily.