MichMash: Whitmer Willing to Wield Veto Pen — Will She Break It Out for Vaping Regulations?

Whitmer voted in favor of similar legislation as a state senator. But her administration is now speaking out against new bills.

WDET Digital

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is wielding the power of the veto pen in Lansing.

This week, she exercised a line-item veto on a bill to refill the state’s fund to compensate people who were wrongfully convicted, citing her pledge to veto appropriations in policy bills.

And she has threatened to veto Republican plans to overhaul Michigan’s auto no-fault insurance system.

As part of the weekly series MichMash, Cheyna Roth and Jake Neher talk about another package of bills that could soon head to Whitmer’s desk which would regulate e-cigarettes and vaping.

Whitmer voted in favor of similar legislation five years ago when she was a state senator.

Then-governor Rick Snyder vetoed that legislation, citing concerns from his administration’s health experts, who said vaping products should not be regulated separately from tobacco products. Now, Whitmer’s administration is expressing similar concerns, calling into question where she will personally come down on the proposal.

Click on the audio player above to hear that conversation.

Authors

  • Cheyna Roth
    Cheyna has interned with Michigan Radio and freelanced for WKAR public radio in Lansing. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films.
  • Jake Neher
    Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network.