I hope this e-update finds you and your family safe and healthy as we begin the month of May.
This e-update outlines some important updates to Governor Evers' Safer At Home Order and Badger Bounce Back Plan.
I will also break down the approval process for state departments to allocate federal funding received under the CARES Act to respond to the COVID-19 emergency in Wisconsin.
For more frequent updates on the COVID-19 emergency, please visit my official Facebook and Twitter pages.
I hope this e-update is helpful. Please do not hesitate to call my office at (608) 266-0645 should you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance to you.
Evan Goyke State Representative 18th Assembly District
Safer At Home Updates
On Monday, the Governor issued updates to the first Safer At Home Order (Emergency Order #28). To be clear, the Safer At Home remains in effect, but Monday’s “Interim Order to Turn the Dial” (Emergency Order #34) makes some specific changes and additions that are summarized below. For a more detailed outline of Emergency Order #34, please visit the Evers Administration’s FAQ page.
The Interim Order to Turn the Dial (EO #34)
Expands businesses and activities allowed to increase services and operations
Public libraries, golf courses, car washes
Non-essential businesses may engage in more than just the Minimum Basic Operations and can begin to offer curbside pickup, deliveries, and more
Mandates safe business practices for Essential Businesses and Operations
Increased cleaning and disinfection practices and policies to prevent workers who have been exposed to COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms from coming to work
Continued implementation of social distancing and limitations on the number of people allowed in stores at one time
Closes public and private K-12 schools for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year
Gives local officials the ability to open and close parks and outdoor space as they deem appropriate
Declares that Tribal Nations are sovereign over their territory and can impose their own restrictions
Remains in effect until 8:00 a.m. on May 26, 2020
The Badger Bounce Back
The updates to the Safer At Home Order in Emergency Order #34 are meant to lay the groundwork for reopening the state. Here are some steps the Evers Administration is taking toward that goal:
Expanding opportunities for Certain Nonessential Businesses (EO #34)
Reopening several state parks and forests with special conditions
Recruiting and training additional staff to “trace” individuals who tested positive for COVID-19
This is important to be able to identify outbreaks and limit the spread, read more HERE
State Agencies and Federal Funding
In mid-April, the federal government passed COVID-19 relief legislation called the CARES Act. The CARES Act provided funding for states in their response to COVID-19. Wisconsin state agencies will each receive a portion of this funding. Each respective agency will draft a proposal as to how they plan to allocate the money within their department. These plans may require approval from the Joint Finance Committee (JFC). So far, the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Public Instruction have submitted their requests to JFC. These plans are outlined below.
The Department of Children and Families
Under the CARES Act, the DCF will receive roughly $51 million to help support childcare providers during COVID-19. DCF has submitted a plan to provide grants to childcare providers in the following ways:
Provide funding for child care providers that have stayed open in order to serve children of essential workers during the pandemic
Provide hazard pay for these child care workers
Provide funding for child care providers that have been forced to close during the pandemic, so that once the state reopens and all Wisconsinites can return to work, there are enough child care providers for working families
The Department of Public Instruction
Under the CARES Act, DPI will receive roughly $175 million for schools across the state. The Federal Government has placed a number of restrictions on how this money should be allocated, which is detailed below:
DPI must allocate roughly 90% (~$157 million) to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) under the existing Title 1-A federal school funding formula. We will provide updates in the near future when we learn the exact investment that will come to MPS under this formula
The remaining 10% (~$17.5 million) will go to DPI as they establish a “set-aside” fund to address additional challenges schools are facing
The set-aside fund will provide a minimum level of financial support for schools that do not receive funding under the Title 1-A formula outlined above
Furthermore, DPI proposes to use additional dollars to build capacity for, and expand access to, high quality online instructional resources
Providing training to educators regarding remote and on-line learning
Expanding and building capacity of staff for student mental health services
My office continues to be open and available to support ALL Wisconsinites throughout this public health emergency. Please do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything we can help you with.
