The Republican-led Michigan Legislature has refused to extend the state's coronavirus emergency declaration. It also voted Thursday to authorize a lawsuit challenging Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's authority and actions to combat the pandemic. The unfazed governor issued new orders declaring states of emergency and disaster. A court fight is looming. The emergency is the basis for Whitmer's stay-at-home order, which she says has saved lives. The Legislature's steps came as hundreds of conservative activists returned to the Capitol to denounce Whitmer's stay-home measure. The coronavirus has infected more than 41,000 Michigan residents and contributed to the deaths of nearly 3,800.
GOP lawmakers reject Michigan's virus order; Whitmer unfazed
![Governor Gretchen Whitmer portrait](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f15f072/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2400x2440+0+0/resize/880x895!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwgvu%2Ffiles%2F202002%2Fgov._gretchen_whitmer_portrait.jpg)
Michigan.gov