Pontiac Times

A fissure has broken out in the courts in the form of a lawsuit by the Republican-controlled Legislature against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency orders in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the state economy struggling much like the rest of the nation, the Legislature is eager to begin putting hundreds of thousands of state residents back to work. 

State Rep. John Reilly (R-Oakland Township) made a statement in support of the lawsuit on his Facebook page, focusing on the need for the government to work together on behalf of the Michigan residents. 

“Our system of government has checks and balances for good reason,” Reilly wrote on Facebook. “Each of the three branches of government are meant to be coequal, with no one branch wielding unfettered power. This lawsuit is an unfortunate but necessary step the Legislature must take to ensure the people of Michigan are represented in the decisions being made as we continue to fight COVID-19.”

Reilly added that over a million state residents are out of work, with many unable to get through to the unemployment agency. It all adds up to long-term repercussions that could devastate the state for years.

“We hope the lawsuit will bring relief to our struggling state,” he wrote on Facebook. 

Reilly has also highlighted the impending changes in car insurance throughout Michigan. Reforms approved by the state go into effect July 2.

“The Michigan House made a commitment to overhaul our state’s no-fault car insurance system and deliver guaranteed savings this June for all Michigan drivers,” Reilly wrote on Facebook.

The state has updated the website ReduceMiRatesNow.com to provide a guide for residents to work through the process of selecting their insurance and maximizing their savings. 

Residents are encouraged to consult their employer and health insurer, in addition to their agents, and shop around to gain familiarity with how the law will change insurance in the state.