Supreme Court rules on "Safer at Home" order

Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3, that DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm exceeded her authority when she extended the "Safer at Home" order, last month. 

Chief Justice Patience Roggensack, writing for the majority, posited, "This case is about the assertion of power by one unelected official, Andrea Palm, and her order to all people within Wisconsin to remain in their homes, not to travel and close all businesses that she declares are not essential in Emergency Order 28."

The Supreme Court agreed with the legislature that an unelected bureaucrat does not possess the sole authority to shut down Wisconsin and impose criminal penalties on its citizens. This ruling, in my opinion, was a victory for Wisconsinites, as it affirms that our constitutional rights will not be threatened. 

Wisconsin is once again open for business. Throughout the duration of the "Safer at Home" order, I advocated that all businesses and their employees were "essential" and should be allowed to remain open. I am pleased that the Supreme Court decision allowed individuals to return to work at businesses that truly support our local communities. 

Now that businesses have started to reopen, I recommend that they employ best practices to keep people safe. Consumers should also use their discretion when visiting businesses. The seminal point of the Supreme Court ruling is that individuals are once again free to make their own choices. The freedom of choice triumphed.

Over the last several weeks, innumerable constituents contacted my office and me directly to share their accounts on how the "Safer at Home" order impacted them personally. Their stories were absolutely heartbreaking. I know that the shutdown had adverse effects on many Wisconsinites, but the reopening of our state offers hope. I am confident that together, we can begin to rebuild Wisconsin's economy and move our state forward. 

It is imperative to denote that I respect the rights of all Wisconsinites and would hope that others do the same. If individuals desire to return to work, that is their choice. The same is true of those who desire to remain sheltered in their homes. I believe individuals, not government, should make those decisions.

Administrative Rules

Last week, the Department of Health Services released a scope statement relating to establishing protections for Wisconsin citizens. This past Monday, DHS withdrew its scope statement and Governor Evers announced that the Department of Health Services would not issue a revised statement. 

We will rely on our local partners to determine any guidelines moving forward. If more information becomes available, I will include it in future e-updates.

"We Are All In" Grant Program

This week, Governor Evers announced $75 million in assistance for small businesses as part of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation's "We are All In" grant program, a comprehensive effort to celebrate and help Wisconsin's small businesses get back on their feet and support best practices to keep businesses, consumers, employees and communities safe.

Wisconsin small businesses have stepped up during this pandemic to keep people safe and many have pivoted to producing needed items such as hand sanitizer and face coverings. Providing relief to small businesses in Wisconsin that have been impacted by the pandemic is an important part of Wisconsin's response to and recovery from the pandemic.

Grant recipients will become "We Are All In" businesses by committing to safety protocols and using them in their shops, cafes and places to work to protect their customers, employees, and communities. This network of Main Street businesses will form the backbone of the "We Are All In" program.

The grant program will include:

• Grants in the amount of $2,500 to small businesses with 20 or fewer FTEs impacted by COVID-19 that have not already received WEDC COVID-19 assistance. Up to 30,000 businesses may receive grants. More details about this program will be available later this month with businesses able to apply for grant assistance in June.
• A series of guides for businesses looking to implement best practices to keep employees, customers, and communities safe throughout the COVID-19 crisis. These guides are an essential aspect of the "We Are All In" grant program and were developed in consultation with DHS, DOT, DATCP, and industry leaders. They can be found here. 
• Ethnic Minority Emergency Grants, which provide $2 million in grants for ethnically diverse Wisconsin micro-businesses who suffered losses due to the pandemic. The grants are aimed at sole proprietorships or businesses with five or fewer employees that have not received assistance under either SB 20/20 or SBA's Paycheck Protection Program. One-thousand grants of $2,000 each will be administered in partnership with Wisconsin's 19 ethnic and minority chambers of commerce. More details can be found here.
• An integrated public information campaign promoting "We Are All In" businesses and social practices to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and celebrate Wisconsin's diverse and strong economy.

As more information because available, I will include it in future e-updates.

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