This week theWisconsin State Supreme Court made a rulingon the caseWisconsin Legislature v. Andrea Palmwhich declared the Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm’sEmergency Order 28unenforceable and illegal due to not going through the exiting emergency rulemaking process. In response to the ruling, all businesses can reopen immediately unless there is a local health department order prohibiting it.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed that the DHS Secretary-designee does not have the authority to create laws that unilaterally shut down our state or impose criminal penalties. The ruling is certainly a victory for not only people in the Northwoods, but the entire state.
I would like to stress to everyone that individual actions and personal responsibility should remain in effect on how our citizens and their families choose to conduct and protect themselves moving forward. I would strongly encourage people to continue following social distancing guidelines, hand washing, sanitizing frequently touched surfaces, and people with underlying health concerns to take extra precautions. Most importantly, if you feel sick, please stay home. It is certainly up to us to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. This order does not promote people to act in a way that they believe endangers their health.
Our state now has an abundance of state, regional and local resources and data available to help people of the Northwoods make these important decisions. I would encourage all businesses to take a look at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’sguidelines to reopening, the Wisconsin Hospitals AssociationCOVID-19 Dashboardand the DHS COVID-19cases and test results webpage.
Moving forward, my goal is to minimize the impact of the shutdown on our struggling families, businesses and taxpayers. I look forward to working with the Evers administration to promulgate rules that would provide clear guidance if COVID-19 reoccurs more rapidly in the future. I am confident that together, we can begin to rebuild Wisconsin’s economy.
Budget Committee Approves Additional Funding for Public Schools
Earlier this week, the Joint Committee on Finance approved a Department of Public Instruction (DPI) plan to allocate nearly $175 million to K-12 public and private schools to improve virtual education and mental health offerings during the public health emergency. This funding was provided by Congress and President Trump as a part of the CARES Act. As teachers and students around the state adapt to virtual learning, these much-needed funds will play an important role in ensuring the continuity of education for our students.
The CARES Act requires 90% of this funding to be distributed according to a formula established under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This formula directs funds to school districts based on the number of proportion of low-income students in a school district.
DPI plans to use the remaining 10% to fund initiatives to train teachers on virtual education and to increase the number of courses that are offered virtually. DPI believes this will better prepare K-12 schools to provide increased virtual education offerings whether that is due to COVID-19 or another reason students may not be able to physically attend school, like a snow day. Funding will also be used to improve mental health services provided to students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under DPI’s original plan, the department planned to retain $500,000 for administrative purposes. After discussions with DPI, the amount of administrative funding was reduced by $150,000, freeing up additional resources to be used for programs directly benefiting students and teachers.
Community Testing for COVID-19
Oneida, Iron, Forest, Lincoln, Price, and Vilas Counties are collaborating with the Wisconsin National Guard to offer free community testing.
Testing for symptomatic individuals (including mild symptoms). If you have any of the following symptoms you are encouraged to come get tested:
Cough
Shortness of breath
Fever
Chills
Repeated shaking with chills
Muscle pain
Headache
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell
Fatigue
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Please note that anyone tested who has symptoms will be expected to self-isolate until test results come back.
People should be prepared to provide a current address, county of residence, and phone number when you arrive for testing. We request that you wear a mask or cloth face covering when you arrive. Testing at these events will be free. Please be aware that if testing kits run out before the end of the events, those not tested may be turned away. Due to the unknown amount of interest, prepare for potential wait time. It is requested that modes of transportation form a line while waiting for testing and that those who want to be tested stay in or on their mode of transportation at all times,