Happy Easter to those who celebrate. We have had a busy week with the Campaigns & Elections and Health Committees meeting and the Wisconsin Supreme Court striking down the statewide mask requirement.
This week’s newsletter contains information on Forward Wisconsin and the Governor’s budget, an update from the Health Committee, news from the Department of Workforce Development, information about proposed BadgerCare expansion, and more.
If you have any questions or need assistance with any matter, please feel free to contact my office.
Earlier this week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled on the Fabick v. Evers case, overturning Governor Evers’s COVID-19 public health emergency order. This ruling causes a number of problems such as the loss of federal funding for Food Share that is tied to having an emergency order and the overturning of Wisconsin’s statewide mask order. It is important to note that Madison and Dane County are still under a countywide mask order, which is not impacted by the court’s ruling.
Masks save lives, and the lack of statewide requirements could slow our recovery from the pandemic, even as more Wisconsinites are vaccinated. Today, my Assembly Democratic colleagues and I sent a letter to the chair of the State Affairs Committee and members of Assembly leadership requesting a hearing on Assembly Bill 88. This legislation would enact a statewide mask order to control the spread of COVID-19. We are also working with the Governor and our federal partners to determine the best course of action to address the loss of federal Food Share funding.
As of this week, over 2.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Wisconsin, and around 1.9 million Wisconsinites have received at least one dose. Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in vaccine distribution.
Governor Tony Evers and DHS have announced that beginning Monday, April 5th, all Wisconsinites over the age of 16 will be eligible for the vaccine. Please continue to remain patient as our health professionals work to get individuals vaccinated as quickly as possible.
Also this week, DHS announced that more pharmacies in Wisconsin will start receiving allocations of vaccine. These pharmacies include Costco, CVS, Health Mart, Hy-Vee, Medicine Shoppe/Cardinal Health, Good Neighbor/AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation, and Topco.
As a reminder, the Vaccine Assistance Hotline is available. Wisconsinites can call toll-free 844-684-1064 for assistance with vaccine related questions.
Dane County Vaccine Town Hall
On Thursday, April 8th, the Public Health Department of Madison and Dane County will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine. Starting Monday, April 5, all Wisconsinites age 16 and up will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This town hall, with public health experts from around the county, will help to address any questions residents may have regarding the vaccine distribution and vaccination process. It is required to register for the event in order to attend the town hall. Click here to register.
The Joint Finance Committee, which is the state’s budget committee, will hold their public hearings on the budget throughout the month of April. They will hold three in-person and one virtual hearing:
The Spring Election is this Tuesday, April 6. The only statewide race on the ballot is the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Also on the ballot, you will find races for local offices like Dane County Executive, City Council, School Board, city and county judges, and in some instances, Dane County Board. In the City of Madison, voters will also find four referendum questions regarding the makeup of the Common Council.
Absentee ballots may be returned to a ballot drop box through Monday, April 5 until 5 pm or to your polling place on Election Day (polls are open 8 am - 8 pm). Your ballot must arrive before the polls close on Tuesday, so please be sure to drop off rather than mail your ballot if you have not already returned it. Click here to find a drop box.
If you have not already voted absentee and need to know where your polling place will be on Tuesday, you can visit myvote.wi.gov. You can also learn exactly what is on your ballot, track the status of your absentee ballot, and find and other important information there.
The Department of Workforce Development recently announced important updates including a virtual career center and local job services. The new virtual career center will use Google Cloud to allow Wisconsinites to take advantage of online resources and new technology. The project will be completed by the end of the year.
In addition to DWD’s announcement of the virtual career center, the department began opening its physical job centers. These regional job center resources are available by appointment. DWD has also published a new, online Directory of Workforce Services providing information about workforce opportunities in each county. Click here to access this online directory.
Following similar action by the IRS for federal tax returns, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue has extended the filing deadline for Wisconsin tax returns from April 15 to May 17.
Individuals do not have to file any extension forms to be eligible for this new due date.
No interest or penalties will accrue during the period of April 15, 2021 to May 17, 2021. Interest and late filing fees will apply beginning May 18, 2021.
No underpayment interest will apply for failure to make quarterly estimated individual income tax payments for the 2020 tax year.
This relief is solely for 2020 individual income tax returns and payments that are normally due on due April 15, 2021.
This relief does not apply to:
2021 estimated tax payments for individuals, the first payment of which is due April 15, 2021, or
to any other returns or tax payments due to the Department of Revenue.
César Chávez was a labor and civil rights leader. His work to create the United Farm Workers union advocated for better working conditions for farm workers. He remains an incredibly important Latino leader in the labor and civil rights movements, and was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994, a year after his death. As you likely know, one of the elementary schools on the southwest side of Madison in the 78th Assembly District is named for César Chávez.
Earlier this week, members of the Legislative Latino Caucus hosted an event to celebrate César Chávez Day, which was Wednesday March 31st. They were joined by Governor Evers and community leaders to highlight the legacy of César Chávez and the contributions of the Latino community in Wisconsin. Click here to view their César Chávez Day program.
On Monday, April 5, there will be a closure of the westbound Madison Beltline ramp to Todd Drive. The ramp will remain closed for the next three weeks. The Todd Drive ramp to eastbound Beltline as well as the eastbound Beltline to southbound Fish Hatchery Road are expected to be closed until April 19. These closures and construction are part of the Flex Lane project, which will likely be completed at the end of this year or the beginning of 2022.
The American Water Spaniel is Wisconsin’s official state dog. The breed was first discovered at the start of the 1800s right here in Wisconsin. The first use of these dogs were to hunt, but over time, they have been able to form close relationships with people. This evolution of the breed highlights their incredible adaptability to many different climates and surroundings. The American Water Spaniel is brown and about 1 ½ feet tall. They are relatively uncommon, with an estimated population of fewer than 5000. Since 1986, the American Water Spaniel has held the honor of being named the state dog of Wisconsin.
