Michigan cities take snow emergencies to new restrictive level

When Donna McPherson of Lansing received an automated phone message alerting her that a “snow emergency” had been declared and that “non-essential” travel had been banned, she said it raised a question.

McPherson said her family talked about whether Lansing police would pull over drivers and ask them why they were driving.

In the midst of the winter storm this week, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero declared a snow emergency, which prohibited ”non-essential” commercial, private and public travel on city roads.

It raised questions about how much authority the government should have to ban travel during bad snow storms.

at Michigan Capitol Confidential.