By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


Just days after a local lawmaker disclosed she had been diagnosed with COVID-19, she has reaffirmed that she will not support a mandatory mask order in Michigan.

Republican State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township held a pair of online Coffee Hours this morning with constituents. The event had originally been planned to be in person, but was switched late last week after it had been reported that Bollin had contracted coronavirus. She confirmed her diagnosis later in the day.

Bollin discussed the latest stay-at-home order announced by Gov. Whitmer Sunday night, using an epidemic-powers law through the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. The Democratic governor was forced to switch to that approach after the state Supreme Court ruled last month that her executive orders exceeded her legal authority.

The latest orders were quickly criticized by legislative Republicans, who complained that she was continuing to issue directives without their input. Whitmer says the new restrictions were necessary as COVID case counts and hospitalizations surge across all areas of the state and said she wants the Republican-led Legislature to codify a mask requirement in law to send a unified message. But during today’s coffee hour, Bollin said that was not something she was willing to compromise on. "I will not support a mask mandate to say everyone has to wear a mask. Masks are not appropriate for everybody and they're not appropriate in all situations. Everyone comes to the table with their own set of experiences and their skill set and their knowledge. I think if we could be a little bit more loving, respectful that we're all coming...everybody wants what's right and good for people in general, not just themselves. I still believe in humanity and people want the best for others and not just themselves."

Bollin says her preference is for a more regional approach that focuses on the most vulnerable groups in the population.

Starting Wednesday, high schools and colleges must halt in-person classes, restaurants must stop indoor dining and entertainment businesses must close. The moves follow the state shattering its weekly coronavirus case record last week with more than 44,000 new cases, the fifth straight week of record-setting infections.

Bollin also answered questions concerning the counting of ballots at the TCF Center in Detroit. Democrat Joe Biden has been declared the unofficial winner of the state's 16 electoral votes based on tallies which show him with a more than 145,000 vote win over President Trump. Michigan was one of the states that helped put Biden over the top to become the President-Elect, although many Republicans continue to espouse unsubstantiated theories of vote rigging and election fraud. President Trump has refused to concede the election, and lawsuits seeking to overturn voting results have so far failed. In addition, 10th District Republican Congressman Paul Mitchell of Michigan acknowledged Monday morning that Trump had lost the election and said he should concede defeat for “the good of the nation.” Mitchell did not run for reelection.