(LANSING) – State Representative Steve Carra is calling on Governor Gretchen Whitmer to allow Michigan restaurants to resume indoor dining.

Indoor dining at Michigan restaurants is banned through at least January 15 because of an epidemic order that was issued November 18, and has been extended twice.

Carra, a Three Rivers Republican, says the Governor must not further extend the restriction. He says business owners should be allowed to make common sense decisions that are best for their workers, their customers and their businesses. Thousands of Michigan restaurant workers have been unable to work for months, and these are people with families to support and bills to pay.

Carra says not all patrons will feel comfortable dining in at this time, but they should have the freedom to make that decision for themselves.

Michigan's nearly 16,500 eating and drinking establishments employ more than 447,000 people statewide.