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Senate votes to exempt graduations from COVID orders

Graduation cap cupcake photo
"Graduation Cap" by ccdinges101 is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

The Michigan Senate adopted a bill today to allow in-person high school graduation ceremonies to take place regardless of state COVID-19 restrictions.

The bill would preempt health orders as graduation season approaches. Republican Senator Jim Runestad said it’s time as more people become vaccinated.

“Please permit our kids and families the opportunity to decide their own safe practices for their own local graduations.”

“This is utter nonsense.” Democratic Senator Curtis Hertel. “Nobody is opposed to graduation ceremonies. Nobody is trying to prevent them from happening.”

The night before the Senate vote, the Whitmer administration issued a new health order relaxing some outdoor mask and gathering restrictions.