LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – On March 10, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Michigan after the first confirmed COVID-19 cases appeared in the state. Within days, her emergency powers would expand dramatically, reshaping daily life for millions of residents and businesses across Michigan.
March 23 – Michigan told to stay home.
On March 23, 2020, Whitmer issued the now-famous “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, requiring residents to remain at home except for essential activities. The order shuttered schools, closed countless businesses and restaurants, halted public gatherings and dramatically restricted travel, not to mention kept families away from their loved ones in nursing homes and hospitals – as well as weddings and funerals.
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Her directive took effect March 24 and was originally supposed to last only a few weeks. Instead, it became the centerpiece of a prolonged shutdown that stretched through multiple extensions. In all, Governor Whitmer issued a reported 140 COVID-19 related executive orders – until the Michigan Supreme Court shut down her powers in October of 2020.
Court pulls the emergency brake.
On October 2, 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that the governor did not have authority under the 1945 Emergency Powers of Governor Act to continue issuing unilateral pandemic orders without legislative approval. The court decision invalidated Whitmer’s COVID emergency powers, effectively ending her ability to keep issuing those executive orders on her own.
The state’s health department takes over.
Within days, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) took the lead and began issuing epidemic orders using authority under the Michigan Public Health Code (MCL 333.2253). These orders included mask mandates, gathering limits, business capacity restrictions, school and sports rules, and quarantine and isolation requirements. The MDHHS orders remained the main tool for COVID restrictions for more than a year, ultimately ending in the summer of 2021.
The fallout.
By then, the economic and social damage was already visible. Because of the lockdowns, thousands of small businesses struggled or closed permanently. Students were pushed into remote learning and suffered mental health issues during the lockdown. Families were separated from each other. And entire industries – from hospitality to events – were left scrambling to survive.
Supporters of the restrictions argued they were necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19. Critics countered that the sweeping orders devastated livelihoods, gave Lansing unprecedented control over daily life, and contributed to controversial policies – including the state’s nursing home directives that forced facilities to accept COVID-positive patients.
Six years later, the debate over Whitmer’s shutdown orders and pandemic decisions hasn’t faded. Instead, they remain a defining part of the governor’s legacy – and the state’s painful history.
