Wisconsin Legislature releases coronavirus response bill

The Wisconsin Legislature will pass a coronavirus response bill with bipartisan support this week in first-of-its-kind virtual sessions that lawmakers will attend remotely, Republican leaders said Monday.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said he hadn’t reviewed the final version of the bill, which is intended to complement more than $2 billion in federal aid coming to the state, but that he’s optimistic that bipartisan agreement could be reached.

“Hopefully, this will not be a one-shot answer to the crisis here in Wisconsin but an opportunity to establish a dialogue,” Evers said on a conference call with reporters. Evers said he was particularly interested in getting aid to struggling Wisconsin farmers and businesses.

Evers had objected to an earlier version that would have given the Legislature’s GOP-controlled budget committee the power to make any cuts in spending it wanted. That provision was removed from the latest plan.

The budget committee would be allowed to allocate up to $75 million in emergency funding during the public health emergency and up to 90 days after it’s over.

The Assembly was expected to vote on the bill Tuesday, followed by the Senate on Wednesday. Some lawmakers will be physically present in Madison, while the others will attend via video- and teleconference for the first time in the Wisconsin Legislature’s 172-year history. About half of the Assembly’s 99 members will be in the chamber in the state Capitol, while the rest will dial in remotely, Majority Leader Jim Steineke tweeted.

“We crafted this bill taking into consideration the governor’s proposals, reacting to legislation passed by Congress, and receiving input from both parties in the Legislature,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a statement. “There is no such thing as a perfect piece of legislation, but action is desperately needed right now.”

Democratic legislative leaders did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Steineke said the bill would give Evers the flexibility he needs to respond to the pandemic.

“We applaud the bipartisan work that went into the creation of this important bill,” Vos and Steineke said.

Much of what the Legislature intends to do is clear the path for spending of more than $2 billion coming to Wisconsin as part of the federal stimulus bill. Key provisions would clear the way for Wisconsin to receive more money for Medicaid, unemployment benefits and more.

The bill would suspend the one-week waiting period for people to receive unemployment benefits. It would be waived for anyone who applied between March 12 and Feb. 7, 2021. That was a provision Evers pushed to include, given that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate was projected to reach record-high levels due to the widespread closures caused by the pandemic.

As of Monday, 154 deaths people have died from COVID-19 in Wisconsin with more than 3,400 confirmed cases.

The bill also: prohibits certain insurers from prohibiting coverage based on a COVID-19 diagnosis; attempts to ease the licensing and credentialing process for health care workers, including allowing former providers and those from outside Wisconsin to get temporary credentials; reduces nurse training hour requirements; and makes health care providers immune from civil liability from services provided during the pandemic.

The bill would also require the state’s chief economic development agency to create a plan by June 30 to support the major industries adversely affected by the pandemic, including tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, construction, retail, and services.

. Assembly leaders have worked with the minority party and the governor’s office on legislation that will give the Evers administration the needed flexibility to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The bill will allow our state to capture millions in federal dollars on top of the $2 billion in coronavirus funding from the federal CARES Act. The legislation also eliminates the one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits. We applaud the bipartisan work that went into the creation of this important bill.

“Representatives have been given a choice to attend either in person or virtually. Members who are attending in person, as is customary for legislative sessions, are being asked to follow a set of guidelines to maintain proper social distancing. We appreciate the tireless efforts of the Assembly Chief Clerk’s Office, Sergeant’s Office and the Legislative Technology Services Bureau for coordinating the historic session that will enable us to accomplish the legislative work in the safest way we can.

“While tomorrow’s extraordinary session will certainly be a first, we anticipate a day of bipartisan action to help hard-working Wisconsin families and businesses.”