The Michigan Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Governor Gretchen Whitmer lacked the authority after April 30 to declare a state of emergency under the 1976 Emergency Management Act.

The court also ruled that the 1945 Emergency Powers of the Governor Act was unconstitutional, and that it did not provide a basis for Governer Whitmer to exercise emergency powers.

While the court ruled unanimously against Gov. Whitmer’s use of the 1976 act, the court was split with a majority of 4-3 on the decision regarding the 1945 EPGA.

The court specified that they were not seeking to determine if Whitmer’s orders were effective or reasonable, instead looking to decide if the power Gov. Whitmer asserted in issuing her executive orders was legitimate.

Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail issued four countywide emergency orders following the Supreme Court ruling that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lacked the authority to declare a state of emergency after April 30.

These orders keep several COVID-19 protections in place including the use of face coverings, limitations on indoor and outdoor gathering sizes, 50% or 125-person capacity limit for restaurants and mandatory employee health screenings.

Members of the leadership team for Residential and Hospitality Services met with MSU students Thursday in a Zoom town hall to answer questions about the recent decision to furlough over 700 student employees.

After learning MSU would be going remote, leadership team members had to make decisions on how to appropriate RHS’ money. As a self-sustaining auxiliary of MSU, RHS does not receive any state or university funds.

Many programs supported by RHS have been cut or diminished this year due to the curtailed amount of students living on campus. Of the list, neighborhood engagement centers and CAPS counselors within those centers won’t be funded this school year.