Past email updates: March 18th, March 19th, March 20th

CURRENT CASES

Statewide:

416 confirmed cases

7050 negative test results

5 devastating deaths

14th District Counties:

Milwaukee -  204 confirmed cases
Waukesha -  31 confirmed cases

Department of Health Services

Governor Evers announced today he would issue a "Safer at Home" order tomorrow. This means that all "non-essential" businesses will closed. Details on start time/date of the order and what qualifies as an essential business will be shared tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th. 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 

Whether folks are working from home, looking after kids, or taking care of a loved one, for survivors of domestic violence, being confined can be an especially scary and dangerous time.

If you or someone you know is looking to make a safety plan or talk to someone about their situation, there are centers around the state who are ready and willing to help.

Thank you to all the advocates who work around the clock to make sure folks are safe. Find an advocate in your area HERE.

OTHER STATE AGENCY UPDATES:

Department of Revenue 

On Saturday, March 21st, Gov. Evers and the Department of Revenue (DOR) announced DOR is extending state income tax payment and return due dates to July 15th, 2020. See more details on the extension HERE.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury Secretary announced that the federal tax day will be postponed from April 15th to July 15th. All taxpayers and businesses will have the additional time to file their federal taxes as well as make payments without interest or penalties. 

WEDC - SMALL BUSINESS DISASTER LOANS 

A disaster declaration for economic injury related to the COVID-19 pandemic was submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA) by Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Wisconsin’s Governor’s Office, was APPROVED on Friday night and took effect immediately.

A portal is open on the SBA’s website that allows business owners who have been economically injured by the COVID-19 emergency to apply for working capital loans. 

To access that portal and apply for loans, business-owners should CLICK HERE. 

The SBA disaster assistance loans are:
- for up to $2 million
- for businesses under 500 employees
- low-interest (2.75-3.75%), long-term (15-30 year) loans
- available and funded 21 days after a completed application is submitted

For an FAQ and more information about the Economic Injury Disaster Loans, go HERE.

Department of Transportation

To reduce the need for travel and in-person interactions during the COVID 19 health emergency, Gov. Evers today announced an extended deadline for vehicle emissions tests, which are required in southeastern Wisconsin.

The extension affects vehicles Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington and Waukesha counties and makes the following changes:

• Customers who have a routine vehicle registration renewal date after March 12 and require an emission test will have 90 days from their renewal date to complete an emission test and maintain valid registration.  
• Customers who obtained a new vehicle registration this year (January 26-March 12) will need to complete an emission test by June 10 to maintain valid registration.
• Customers who apply for, or obtained, new registration after March 12 (when the Governor’s emergency Executive Order took effect) will have 90 days from their date of registration to complete an emission test and maintain valid registration. This gives customers another 45 days to complete the original requirement.

For other DOT information related to COVID-19, click HERE. 

Department of Public Instruction

On Friday, March 20th, the DPI announced it will apply for a waiver from federal requirements to administer statewide assessments to all students to make annual accountability determinations, to identify schools for support and improvement, and to provide data on federal report cards for assessment and accountability information.

The announcement comes as the U.S. Department of Education announced flexibility will be provided to all states regarding the assessment and accountability requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as the Every Student Succeeds Act. 

On Sunday, March 23rd, Gov. Evers and DPI announced Emergency Order 10 which: 

• Ensures the DPI will be able to streamline the waiver process for hours of instruction for public schools;
• Suspends the PI 34 requirements to allow students in teacher preparation programs to graduate on time this spring;
• Provide the DPI with flexibility in light of upcoming due dates

For more information from DPI on COVID-19, click HERE. 

Department of Corrections

On Friday, March 20th, Gov. Evers ordered DOC to implement a moratorium on admissions to the state prisons and DOC juvenile facilities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

These restrictions go into effect today, Monday, March 23rd and will be re-evaluated as updated information becomes available. Certain essential transfers will continue.

This order does not affect the ability of courts to sentence individuals to prison, but means that they will be held in a county jail facility in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to our large facilities.

Additionally, all transfers from state contracted county jail beds have been suspended until further notice to ensure everyone’s safety.

For more DOC information on COVID-19, click HERE. 

Public Service Commission 

On Sunday, March 22nd, Governor Evers and the Public Service Commission (PSC) issued Emergency Order 11, which:

• Stops utility disconnection for nonpayment for all customers, including commercial, industrial, and farm accounts. Previously this applied to residential accounts only;
• Ceases the assessing of late fees to customer accounts;
• Halts the practice of requiring deposits from customers for reconnection of service;
• Allows deferred payment agreements for all customers who request them;
• Removes any administrative barriers for customers establishing or reestablishing utility service; and
• Authorizes water utilities to provide budget billing arrangements to customers. Electric and natural gas utilities are allowed to do this under current rules.

For more information from the PSC on COVID-19, click HERE.  

PEN PALS FOR SENIORS NEEDED 

Harwood Place in Wauwatosa is looking for pen pals for their senior residents! A message from them: 

"We are looking to facilitate a reciprocal relationship between our senior residents at Harwood Place and people in the community as pen pals. Our folks are getting lonely as they hunker down and social distance through isolation in our Harwood Place community.

If you are interested, contact Amy, our Manager of Life Enrichment, at amy.bielawski@harwoodplace.org." 

ONE WISCONSIN
On a personal note, I want to assure you we are doing everything we can with the information and power that we have while working through an unprecedented pandemic that has facts and advice changing seemingly constantly. I will continue monitoring this crisis, and I will not forget my call to service to the people of the 14th district. Part of my job is disseminating information, and we will keep you posted as news happens. And, we will also work to generate ideas for how to best respond. I understand this is both a challenging time, and for many-- a scary time. Please check on your neighbors, reach out to the elderly, if you need help and receive an offer for help, take confidence in accepting that help. Together, as one Wisconsin, we will walk through this moment, and may we remember one another, reach out, ask for help, offer help, and be the community to one another we were made to be. Now is the time to draw together as one Wisconsin.

My office is here. Please reach out with any questions. We will be at work. And once again, the safety and security of my constituents is my number one priority. Please rest at night knowing that. 

For daily updated information on COVID-19 in Wisconsin, visit the DHS website here.     

 

Forward together,