Michigan House passes 23 bills to limit, repeal emergency authorities

Lansing − The Michigan House on Wednesday adopted 23 bills from a 30-bill package seeking to overhaul references to emergency powers in Michigan's statutory framework in the wake of the Whitmer administration's exercise of emergency authority during the pandemic.

The bills, passed largely along party lines in the Republican-controlled House, seek to amend or repeal laws across several departments that give executives the authority to adopt temporary rules limiting various activities or requiring certain notices during an emergency.

The House passed the first seven bills of the 30-bill package on July 1, the last day the body was in session before their summer break. Those bills were moved out of Senate Oversight Committee to the Senate floor on Wednesday morning.

House Republicans on social media said the bills would "strengthen oversight and accountability" when the state uses executive authority during an emergency.

"It's extremely important that we as legislators on occasion go back and review our current laws, and the emergency powers are not any different," said Rep. Julie Alexander, the Hanover Republican who was one of the lead sponsors of the package.

The addition of the 23 bills to the House agenda after 5 p.m. Wednesday came as a surprise to House Democrats, who were informed of the additions by House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Twp., on the House floor.

"After taking July, August and half of September off, the Republicans in the house have now decided to put 22 bills onto the agenda with no notice. Can you spell TRANSPERENCY?" Rep. Julie Brixie, D-Meridian Township, said on Twitter Wednesday.

The bills seek to repeal what are considered unused, outdated or duplicative emergency authority language; limit some public health orders to 28 days, after which time legislative approval would be required; and require legislative notification when some emergency powers are used. 

The bills would repeal certain emergency authority provisions related to insurance companies, financial institutions, mineral wells, mobile homes, and hunting and fishing.  Other bills would require notice to be given to the Legislature within 24 hours if a department uses emergency authorities related to workplace safety, fire hazards, water use permit violations, agricultural pests or plant diseases or a controlled substance license.

eleblanc@detroitnews.com