(CNN)Republican legislators in states governed by Democrats are pushing back against ongoing business closures -- filing legislation, lawsuits and re-opening plans -- in moves that reflect deepening partisan divides over how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
Republicans in Wisconsin sued earlier this week for temporary relief from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' safer-at-home order, which was recently extended until May 26.
The lawsuit argues that Evers and his administration have overreached in their "authority" to continue their "arbitrary and capricious" statewide restrictions without oversight from the legislative branch. Evers did not respond to a request for comment.
That came after Minnesota State Sen. Andrew Mathews, a Republican, on Monday introduced a bill that would allow businesses not currently qualifying as "essential" to submit applications detailing a safe re-opening plan to be approved by the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development.
"This is an effort to see if we can strike a balance between the businesses' needs for a speedy time frame, and the governor's need for oversight and safe plans moving forward," he said at a state senate committee meeting introducing the measure.
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Republicans in Kentucky and Pennsylvania have attempted to push through similar changes but failed in recent weeks.
The efforts come in direct contrast to recently formed regional pacts across the US, led mostly by Democratic governors, with the goal of coordinating reopening across states. More than 97% of the US population is currently under stay-at-home orders that have resulted in the closure of non-essential businesses like restaurants, gyms and hair salons.
They're mirrored in Republican-governed Georgia by opposition from Democratic mayors and business leaders, who have opposed Gov. Brian Kemp's plans to open restaurants, tattoo parlors and movie theaters over the coming days.
While Kemp is poised to move faster then health officials recommend, lawmakers in other states are offering their own roadmap plans.
Michigan House Republicans released a regional roadmap on Monday that pushes for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who has faced demonstrations against her closure orders, to gradually ease restrictions county by county.
Gideon D'Assandro, spokesman for Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, a Republican, told CNN that the plan suggests starting with reopening in low risk counties and gradually moving to businesses in high risk counties.
"We've kind of been pushing for a regional approach. Our hope is that we can actually sit down with her, come up with a consensus plan and she can just implement it through executive order immediately," said D'Assandro. Whitmer's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
And Republicans in Washington's state senate released a 16-point plan last Friday calling for phasing in the state's economy starting in three parts starting with immediate actions and ending with longer-term recommendations.
"We recognize how these employers have already suffered from being forcibly closed and how offers of government assistance are no substitute for reopening," said the Senate Republicans in a press release.
Clashes between Republican state lawmakers and Democrats in governors' mansions have emerged around the country over other issues, too. Gun rights activists have promoted making local counties and cities "Second Amendment sanctuaries" in protest of statewide gun control measures -- moves that mimic the sanctuary city movement for undocumented immigrants.
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