Tag: Governor Whitmer

Hotels Are Deemed Essential During Governor’s Stay-at-Home Executive Order

The MRLA has been in constant communication with Governor Whitmer’s office all day to secure clarification on hotels being deemed essential, meaning they may remain open during the Stay-At-Home Executive Order.

HOTELS ARE DEEMED ESSENTIAL with the following guidance from the Governor:

 In general, hotels and motels may remain open, but should limit functions.

Under the order, workers at hotels and motels are critical infrastructure workers to the extent they “provide temporary or permanent housing for… shelter … for … otherwise needy individuals.” For purposes of the order, the term “otherwise needy individuals” includes anyone currently residing in a hotel or motel or anyone seeking shelter during the current pandemic. Hotels and motels may also remain open to the extent they are used for COVID-19 mitigation and containment efforts and to serve critical infrastructure workers.

Hotels and motels may therefore remain open, but should limit guest-to-guest, guest-to-staff, and staff-to-staff interactions, and may only engage in activities providing shelter and basic needs (carry out/delivery/room service food, laundry, etc.). They may not provide additional in-house amenities such as gyms, pools, spas, entertainment faculties, meetings rooms or like facilities, or provide in-house dining.

We have created a response team to the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, and will continue to post any new developments. You can view the page and additional resources by following the link here. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact your Fraser Trebilcock attorney.

Governor Whitmer Executive Order Allows Public Bodies To Meet Electronically

UPDATE: On April 14, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-48, extending the duration of relief through May 12, 2020 for public bodies that are subject to the Open Meetings Act to use telephone or video conference methods to continue meeting and conduct business. With this new order, EO 2020-15 is rescinded.

With Executive Order 2020-48, public bodies that are subject to the Open Meetings Act can use telephone or video conferencing methods to continue meeting and conduct business. This will be allowed provided there is two-way communication for members and the public to hear and address each other.

This is a brief summary and does not constitute legal advice. We encourage you to review Executive Order 2020-48 as there are many terms which address how a public body meeting must be conducted.

March 19, 2020: Governor Whitmer through an executive order is temporarily allowing public bodies to meet electronically until April 15, as long as the method used facilitates public participation.

With Executive Order 2020-15, public bodies that are subject to the Open Meetings Act can now use telephone or video conferencing methods to continue meeting and conduct business. This will be allowed provided there is two-way communication for members and the public to hear and address each other.

This Order does not apply to nonprofit corporations that do not meet the definition of a “public body.” Nonprofit corporations that are not public bodies may conduct meetings by conference telephone or similar communications equipment provided all participants can communicate with each other, unless the articles or bylaws restrict such participation.

Fraser Trebilcock Business Tax Attorney Edward J. CastellaniEdward J. Castellani is an attorney and CPA with Fraser Trebilcock and serves as Chair of the Firm’s Business and Tax Department. He may be contacted at ecast@fraserlawfirm.com or 517-377-0845.