Thank you to everyone who reached out to my office in the past few weeks. I appreciate your advocacy. I also appreciate your patience. COVID-19 has altered business operations, school, daily schedules, and much more. My office has received many emails and calls from constituents in the past few weeks and I have been working hard to reply in a timely manner.
Please keep reading for updates on the election, the upcoming Assembly floor session, unemployment, and more.
Election Update
I know that the election that occurred last Tuesday is not a black and white issue. I have been contacted by local elected officials, municipal clerks, and concerned citizens. They all want safe and fair elections, but the means of doing so varies. Some would have prefered only mail-in ballots, some an in-person election with additional personal protective equipment, and others would like elections postponed. I am not sure which response legislative leaders would have come to agree on because we were not allowed to debate this on the Assembly floor. However, I know that inaction on this issue is unacceptable. It is not only unacceptable to our poll workers and voters, but to all members of our community who might contract COVID-19 because of the increased spread the election likely caused.
That is why on April 1, I sent a letter to legislative leadership urging them to immediately convene a floor session to address the election, the economy, and this public health crisis. I was and am prepared to participate in a virtual session. I have my laptop and I even upgraded my internet at home in order to participate remotely.
That is also why last week, I signed on as a co-sponsor to legislation that will allow the remaining 2020 elections to be 100% vote by mail. States that have enacted Vote by Mail have shown increased voter satisfaction, state and local cost savings, and increased turnout in both presidential and local elections. With this in mind, and the uncertain nature of how COVID-19 will progress, I believe this proposal is crucial. I am committed to ensuring our elections are safe and fair. I promise to continue to advocate for the legislature to convene and pass necessary and commonsense proposals to address COVID-19.
For more information on this proposal, click here.
Upcoming Assembly Floor Session
The Assembly will convene tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14. I have been contacted by so many of you over the past few weeks, and I appreciate that. I will make sure to keep your thoughts in mind as I prepare for votes on small businesses, unemployment benefits, education, housing, and other issues impacted by COVID-19. I will keep you updated on the progress the legislature makes this week.
Unemployment Benefits Update
If your workplace was shut down due to COVID-19, you are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits. If you do not know if you qualify, you are encouraged to file a claim. After filling a claim, the Department of Workforce Development will assist you.
I understand that some of you have been experiencing extreme wait times upon calling the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) unemployment call center. The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is working hard to scale up their call center to meet the unprecedented need for unemployment claims.
Due to the high volume of claims being submitted, you are encouraged to apply online whenever possible. To find more information on unemployment benefits or to file a claim, click here.
DWD is also updating their systems to provide the benefits passed by the federal government. The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program temporarily expands eligibility for unemployment benefits to those who are self-employed, free lancers, independent contracts, and part-time workers impacted by COVID-19. Under the PUA, workers will be eligible for retroactive benefits as far back as February and may receive benefits for up to 39 weeks. Minimum ($163 weekly) and maximum ($370 weekly) benefit rates will be calculated as 1% of last year's total income earned.
A second federal program that passed was the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. Through this program, an additional $600 per week may be available to those eligible for certain UI and PUA benefits. DWD hopes to take initial claims the week of April 21 and start making payments on April 26.
The Small Business Administration Disaster Loans will provide assistance to Wisconsin's small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19. These loans are for:
Loans will be available and funded 21 days after a completed application is submitted. To see the application, click here. For more information, visit the SBA website here or contact the Region 8 Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Development Directors Melissa Hunt at (608)210-6780 or Jason Scott at (608)210-6790.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) launched Small Business 20/20 loans for businesses with less than 20 employees. This may suit your situation if your company has too few employees to qualify for other programs that are being offered. To find out more about SB20/20, click here.
I know that businesses are still struggling in these conditions. I continue to speak to my colleagues about how we can best support you during this time. It is my hope that next week we will pass legislation that addresses the gap that leaves many of our local main street businesses hurting.
State Parks Update
This past Friday the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) closed 40 state parks in South Central and Southeast Wisconsin. This decision was made due to littering, vandalism, and extreme crowds. I was surprised to hear this, but understand the need to do so. We must treat our outdoor spaces well and abide by social distancing guidelines.
Outdoor activity is crucial for many of us. I encourage you to take a walk in your neighborhood and enjoy the sun. Please make sure to keep 6 feet between you and other people as much as possible.
Stay at home: read and follow Governor Evers'Safer at Home initiative, and only take essential trips such as to your work, the grocery store, pharmacy, or health care center
Practice social distancing: stay 6 feet apart from people when in public, and limit your social circles to seeing as few people as possible (however, please make sure to virtually keep in touch with your entire support system)
Clean often: wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and refrain from touching other people (shaking hands)
Be mindful: if you are sick or think you may have come into contact with someone who is sick, stay home, avoid touching your face, and clean frequently touched surfaces often
I encourage you to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns during this time. It is important to me to hear from you on issues at the state level. Thank you to everyone who has already contacted my office.
Do you have a positive story to share? I will be sharing positive stories on my social media sites in the coming weeks and would like to include you! If you have a story and a picture that you would like shared on my Facebook or Instagram page, email me at Rep.Considine@legis.wi.gov or tag me in your post and watch to see if it gets posted!
