LANSING, MI (AP)-- Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is calling for Republican legislative leaders to enact and enforce a mask requirement inside the House and Senate chambers.
He said Wednesday he fears for the safety of his family and others when lawmakers do not wear a face covering. The Democrat presides over session in the Senate, which will return Thursday to start passing bills following a Michigan Supreme Court ruling that invalidated Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s coronavirus orders.
The Legislature has been seen as exempt from the Whitmer administration's mask requirements due to the separation of powers. Though legislators have been encouraged to wear masks, many Republicans do not or remove them for extended periods.
