Emergency Orders Ruling

I want to make sure everyone is aware that the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled this week that Gov. Tony Evers overstepped his authority when he continued to extend the state's public health emergency order and mask mandate without seeking approval from the Legislature.

The ruling has nothing to do with whether or not masks are effective or if a mandate is a good idea. Rather, it affirms the role of the legislature as a co-equal branch of government.

You can read the Supreme Court's majority opinion by clicking here.

I would like to take the time to clear a few things up because there seems to be some misconceptions on what the Supreme Court's ruling actually means.

Even though the statewide mask mandate is no longer in effect, local governments, schools and businesses are still legally allowed to enforce their own masking requirements.

I wanted to share this information so there is no confusion the next time you visit a grocery store, bank or any other establishment. Please do not give these people a hard time for acting within their legal authority. If you do not agree with their decisions, there are many other places to shop.

Showing compassion, respect and courtesy will go a long way toward improving our communities.

On a related note, state residents 16 years of age and older will become eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting on Monday.

For more information, please click on this link.

Due to this eligibility expansion, it is likely that some will have a difficult time securing an appointment. I encourage you to continue to contact your local health department, physician's office, hospital or pharmacy.

You can also use this website to find appointments near you.

Federal Relief Funds

Earlier this week I participated in a press conference in Green Bay with a number of my Assembly colleagues to announce the Legislature’s proposal for the best use of the federal aid money we are receiving to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since Gov. Evers has vetoed our bill that would allow for legislative oversight on how these funds are disbursed, we felt it was important to share our message with the public.

First, I would like to say that I do agree with the governor that we should be giving a portion of this funding to the state’s tourism industry. Tourism has been hit hard by a year of uncertainty as travel was reduced significantly in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Where I respectfully disagree with Gov. Evers is the amount allocated for this. I would like to see a more robust percentage of relief money set aside for rebuilding tourism in our state.

The next point of divergence I have is how best to appropriate funding for broadband expansion. Again, I agree that this should be a priority in Wisconsin, but I believe the governor's plan doesn’t go far enough. As mentioned at our press conference, if we dedicate $500 million to increasing broadband access, we would have 97 percent of the state covered within four years.

Reliable internet service has become a necessity in today’s world, as indispensable as any other utility, and the current pandemic has only highlighted this. Assuring reliable, high-speed internet throughout the state would be an incredible driver of economic growth in our rural areas.

Most resources have transitioned to online access only to avoid potential exposure to the virus, and countless workers were relegated to teleworking from home. Despite this, it is still virtually impossible to access a strong internet connection in many locations across the state. Our plan would resolve the issue once and for all so that no one finds themselves helpless in any future emergency such as what we have experienced this past year.

Another point I would like to make is that only 10 percent of the CARES Act funding went directly to long-term care facilities, despite bearing the brunt of the pandemic.

Nearly half of all COVID-related deaths occurred in these facilities. Their employees sacrifice so much to provide compassionate care for the sick and dying. Long hours and self-imposed isolation from family members to avoid potential spread at home are just some of the hardships they must continually endure.

To potentially lose their jobs when this is over because the facility they work for must save money after a solid year and a half of financial over-extending is too much. We must show our appreciation for their sacrifices by supporting them now.

All in all, both the governor and the Legislature have the same goal. Where we differ is our respective vision of what is possible. I feel we need to be more bold to ensure that we don’t just “return to normal,” but that we learn, improve and prepare for the next time.

DNR Land Sales Bill  

I had the honor this week of testifying on my bill that would give the state more opportunities to take advantage of revenue generated from the sale of public lands.

Under current state law, the proceeds from the sale of state-owned property controlled by the Department of Natural Resources must be used to purchase other parcels that will be designated as public hunting and fishing grounds, wildlife and fish refuges or additions to state parks.

AB 61 would allow this revenue to also go toward property development or the purchase of easements so our existing properties can be better utilized by visitors.

In the past four-years, about $425,000 worth of land has been approved for sale. While this may seem like a lot of money, it will not go very far in terms of property acquisitions.

However, there is plenty of infrastructure in our state parks and public lands that need to be upgraded or repaired. It would make more financial sense to allow the state to also use the sale proceeds for these types of projects.

Additionally, by purchasing conservation easements rather than purchasing the actual land, we are able to protect environmentally important land from development while increasing public access to outdoor activities without taking the land off the tax roles.

By going this route, we will be able to make our public lands more enticing for visitors, which will help us to collect even more revenue through the use of these properties.