Whitmer's Actions: Legal Or Not?

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been accused of breaking her own COVID-19 rules on indoor dining. A photo published by Breitbart showed Whitmer and 12 others at a table in an East Lansing restaurant, despite state restrictions limiting indoor diners to six per table. Whitmer apologised for the incident, but it is not the first time she has faced criticism for her conduct during the pandemic. In 2020, Whitmer was photographed with a large group of unmasked people at a restaurant, violating state-mandated social distancing guidelines. In the same year, she also faced backlash for taking a private plane trip to Florida, which she initially failed to disclose.

Whitmer has also been accused of breaking a campaign promise by signing a law that included a spending provision, making it referendum-proof. As a lawmaker, Whitmer had criticised then-Governor Rick Snyder for signing a similar bill.

However, Whitmer has had several successes during her tenure, including implementing gun reforms, tax measures, and tuition-free education programs. She has also expanded civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ residents and repealed Michigan's right-to-work law.

COVID-19 restrictions

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer imposed some of the nation's strictest COVID-19 restrictions during the pandemic. In a bid to slow the spread of the virus, Whitmer issued nearly 200 emergency orders in less than a year, which left businesses scrambling to comply.

Whitmer's lockdown rules deemed which careers were "essential" and ordered "nonessential" workers to stay home. She also banned stores larger than 50,000 square feet from selling paint and home-improvement supplies, as well as advertising "nonessential" goods. Her lockdown was the longest and most strict in the Midwest.

Whitmer's COVID-19 restrictions were met with criticism and legal challenges. The Michigan Supreme Court stripped Whitmer of her emergency powers in October 2020, ruling that she lacked the authority to issue executive orders without the consent of the Legislature.

In May 2021, Whitmer was caught breaking her own COVID rules. She attended a meal at an East Lansing bar with 13 people, despite a May 15 order limiting gatherings at food service establishments to no more than six people per table.

In a March 2023 interview with CNN, Whitmer admitted that many of her early lockdown rules, in retrospect, "don't make a lot of sense." She acknowledged that some of her policies may have been more restrictive than necessary and that the orders were unclear, causing confusion for businesses and residents.

Abortion

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been a vocal proponent of reproductive rights and has pushed to protect them in her state. In April 2022, she filed a lawsuit and used her executive authority to ask the Michigan Supreme Court to resolve whether the state's constitution protects the right to abortion. This was in response to the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade, which could trigger Michigan's 1931 ban on abortion without exceptions for rape or incest.

Whitmer's actions aimed to protect abortion access and women's constitutional right to abortion. She argued that women's health and medical decisions should be driven by health professionals, not politicians. In December 2023, she signed the final bill in the Reproductive Health Act, which repealed Michigan's ban on insurance coverage for abortion without a separate rider and implemented protections for doctors and patients.

Whitmer's fight for abortion rights has been personal, as she publicly shared her experience of being raped as a freshman at Michigan State University in 1989. She emphasized the impact of restricted abortion access on her own family, particularly her two daughters, and the importance of women having control over their reproductive health.

In November 2024, Whitmer, along with legislative sponsors and representatives from organizations like Planned Parenthood and NARAL, signed bipartisan legislation repealing Michigan's 1931 abortion ban. This brought state law in line with the state constitution and guaranteed reproductive freedoms and access to safe, legal abortion for Michiganders.

Whitmer's efforts to protect abortion rights in Michigan have been praised by abortion rights advocates and Democratic leaders. She has been described as a leading voice in the fight for abortion rights and a crucial figure in a pivotal election year for the issue.

Gun control

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed several gun control bills into law in Michigan, where she has served as governor since 2023. These bills are part of a broader effort to prevent gun violence and improve school safety in the state.

In 2023, Michigan passed a safe storage law, requiring firearms in homes with children to be locked up. However, it is estimated that 150,000 children in Michigan still live in a home with an unsecured firearm. To address this issue, Governor Whitmer signed three bills in January 2025, which aim to prevent unsecured guns from falling into the hands of children and to prevent school shootings. One of these bills, sponsored by State Rep. Sharon MacDonell, requires that parents or guardians of children in public and private schools receive annual information about safe storage practices and how to obtain cheap or free gun locks.

Governor Whitmer has also signed gun control legislation that establishes universal background checks for all firearm purchases and safe storage requirements. This legislation, signed in 2023, was in response to mass shootings at Michigan State University and Oxford High School. The new measures expand background check and licensing requirements to all types of firearms, ensuring that individuals with a previous felony or a court order for involuntary hospitalization related to mental health cannot purchase any type of firearm. Additionally, the legislation mandates that individuals who have firearms in homes with children keep them in a locked box or unloaded and locked.

Another set of laws signed by Governor Whitmer focus on preventing individuals convicted of domestic violence from accessing firearms. These laws prohibit individuals convicted of a misdemeanour involving domestic violence from purchasing, possessing, or using firearms or ammunition for at least eight years after sentencing. The legislation is designed to protect survivors of domestic violence and prevent abusers from accessing deadly weapons.

Governor Whitmer's gun control efforts also include the launch of Operation Safe Neighborhoods, a statewide initiative to reduce gun violence by recovering illegal guns from people with prior criminal histories. This program builds on her previous investments in local law enforcement and her support for criminal justice reform.

Corporate incentives

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been a vocal supporter of using corporate incentives to attract businesses and manufacturing to her state. In December 2021, she signed House Bill 4603, a bipartisan measure that created a $1 billion economic development fund to attract manufacturers to Michigan.

Whitmer has also been a proponent of the proposed industrial "megasite" in Marshall, Michigan, where a major electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility is planned. She has approved of $1.8 billion in state incentives for the purchase and preparation of the site. This move is part of Whitmer's efforts to promote low-emission technology and manufacturing in Michigan, in line with the Inflation Reduction Act.

The governor has also pushed for other economic development initiatives, such as the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund, which aims to bring large factories and technology hubs to the state. Additionally, she has called for additional investments in housing, placemaking, brownfield redevelopment, and transit.

Whitmer's emphasis on economic development and corporate incentives has drawn some criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Some view these initiatives as corporate subsidies that have not paid off, with Michigan spending $1 billion on corporate incentives and pledging hundreds of millions more for major EV and battery projects, resulting in only about 200 jobs.

Despite the criticism, Whitmer continues to prioritize economic development and corporate incentives as a way to attract businesses, create jobs, and boost Michigan's economy. She has also been successful in passing several tax cuts and business incentives into law, with the goal of making Michigan more competitive and attractive to businesses.

LGBTQ+ rights

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights since taking office in Michigan. In 2023, she signed Senate Bill 4, which expanded the 1976 Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) to protect against discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. This was a significant step forward for LGBTQ+ rights in Michigan, as it permanently outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The bill's sponsor, state senator Jeremy Moss, highlighted the long journey to achieving this expansion of rights, stating that "amending Elliott-Larsen has been the battle cry of our community". The bill passed with bipartisan support, although many Republicans opposed it over concerns about religious freedom.

Governor Whitmer has taken other actions to protect the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan. In 2021, she signed an executive directive prohibiting the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services from using state or federal funds for conversion therapy on minors. She also issued a proclamation marking June as Pride Month and was the first governor to march at the Motor City Pride parade. In 2022, she established the first state-wide LGBTQ+ Commission to address issues facing the LGBTQ+ community in areas such as health, safety, and economic opportunity.

The expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act is a result of decades of organizing by pro-LGBTQ+ groups and activists, as well as the will of Michigan voters in the 2022 midterm elections, who rejected a dangerous, anti-LGBTQ+ campaign by radical politicians. This amendment sends a powerful message of acceptance to the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan and ensures that they are protected under the law.

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