The Republican-led Michigan Legislature has extended Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s coronavirus emergency declaration by 23 days, through April. They declined to adopt a 70-day extension she had requested, that would’ve gone into mid-June.

Republicans said they had to vote Tuesday to keep the emergency declaration from expiring, but Democrats said it would not have lapsed because she issued a declaration last week, meaning legislators did not have to vote until April 29.

Lengthening Whitmer’s emergency is important because the original declaration is the basis for roughly 30 subsequent executive orders, including those telling people to stay home and closing schools and businesses.