Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday vetoed two bills that were sponsored by Upper Peninsula lawmakers.
One of them was sponsored by State Rep. Beau LaFave’s (R-Iron Mountain) bill to allow gas stations to have their pumps on late at night when there is no attendant on duty. LaFave called it a safety issue, saying that people run the risk of running out of gas late at night and being stranded in rural parts of the state where gas stations aren’t always open 24/7. He also pointed out that other states allow the practice, where you pay with your credit card.
Whitmer’s response in the veto letter:
“Unattended fuel pumps raise significant safety concerns, both for motorists and for the environment. Without the presence of a gas station attendant to quickly and appropriately respond to fuel spills or fires, such incidents will be more likely to get out of control and to cause far more serious harm. Despite the heightened need for safety regulations when fuel pumps are unattended, this bill would also restrict the ability of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to ensure that appropriate safety precautions are taken. The safety of the people of Michigan is my top priority. I am vetoing this bill to prevent potentially hazardous accidents, including fires and fuel spills, that could result in death or significant property and environmental damage.”
Whitmer also vetoed a bill sponsored by State Rep. Sara Cambensy (D-Marquette) that dealt with whether landlords can determine if an animal is actually a “emotional support animal” or not. It would have allowed landlords to evict tenants who got around “no pet” policies, or avoided pet fees, by claiming that the animals are not pets, but actually emotional support animals.
“These bills result in too great an intrusion on the privacy of people with disabilities. In requiring that people requesting accommodations allow potential housing providers to access detailed, private information about their medical treatment and condition, these bills would constitute a significant invasion of privacy. Moreover, these requirements would exceed the scope of what a housing provider may request under the federal Fair Housing Act, thereby jeopardizing Michigan’s funding for Section 8 housing.
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