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State Senate leader slams the door on legalized marijuana in Wisconsin

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There’s no way forward for legalized marijuana of any sort, in the Wisconsin state Senate.

During a WisPolitics virtual event Thursday, Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oosburg) said law enforcement has a lot of concerns – as do employers.

“That it might . . . cause them more problems with people who are high on the job.”

Some Assembly Republicans are willing to consider medical marijuana. Not in the Senate, LeMahieu said. “I don’t think we have support at this point.”

LeMahieu said marijuana should be dealt with at the federal level. “If there’s advantages to it, if it helps out people I have no problem with it, as long as a doctor’s prescribing it,” he said. “But I think that discussion needs to be done at the federal level, and not have some rogue state doing it, without actual science behind it.”

Twenty states, including Minnesota, allow marijuana use for medical purposes. Another 16, including Illinois and Michigan, allow recreational use by adults. Governor Tony Evers proposed legalized medical marijuana in his state budget.

 

J&J pause proof that vaccine oversight is working

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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Wisconsin.

Deputy Health Services Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said the pause is proof oversight is working, and will allow vaccine administrators to reach out, regarding extremely rare instances of blood clots associated with J&J vaccine.

“So I hope Wisconsinites can hear those kinds of actions as ways to increase safety, rather than making them more hesitant and fearful,” Willems Van Dijk said.

The DHS action follows recommendations by the CDC and Food & Drug Administration.

“I want to be really clear, this is a pause, not the end of J&J,” Willems Van Dijk said.
There were six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot forming, out of the nearly seven million doses of the vaccine so far administered.

Willems Van Dijk said the pause comes as Wisconsin was expecting only 3,000 thousand doses of the J&J vaccine next week, while it maintains about 150,000 doses of Pfizer and Moderna. “Ninety six percent of the vaccines given in Wisconsin, have been Pfizer or Moderna doses,” she said.

Wisconsin public health officials urge continued caution as COVID-19 variants drive an increase in cases

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Wisconsin is “moving in the right direction,” with more than 3,250,000 COVID-19 vaccines having been administered — but state public health officials sounded a note of caution on Wednesday, amid an increase in cases driven by new coronavirus variants.

Deputy Health Services Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said 35 percent of the state has gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, and just under 22 percent have completed the vaccine series.  She said there is “expanded eligibility, more vaccinators on board, more shots in arms. And we continue to make progress towards our goal of community immunity.”

Until then, Willems Van Dijk urged people not to back off on precautions. “The answer to getting through to the other side of this pandemic is not vaccines or masks, it’s vaccines and masks.”

Dr. Ryan Westergaard, the state’s Chief Medical Officer, said the CDC has identified five COVID-19 variants in the U.S.

“All five of these strains are currently in Wisconsin, and the proportion of the Wisconsin infections that’s caused by the variants of concern is growing, week by week.”

Westergaard said the increase in cases is being driven by infections in younger people and kids. “As of this week, the highest number of cases in any age group is among those under 18. This is a real concern.”

The Department of Health Services on Thursday reported 1,046 cases of COVID-19, the most since February 11, with the 7-day average at 733 cases per day.

“These more dangerous strains of the virus can spread throughout the population, and eventually become the predominant strain that is going around in the community.” Westergaard explained. “And then, we’re left with an epidemic that is more difficult to control than the one we had several months ago. Unfortunately, this is exactly what we’re experiencing now here in Wisconsin, and nationwide.”

“We are not going to get to 100 percent vaccine coverage probably this year. And there’s a danger of the pandemic getting out of control and having unnecessary illnesses and deaths.”

Assembly Republicans want state’s American Recovery Act money used to provide property tax rebate

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State Assembly Republicans want some things out of the latest COVID-19 relief package from D.C. – including a tax rebate for property owners.

“We want to make sure our homeowners receive the assistance they need after a difficult year. So we are suggesting providing one billion dollars, to give the equivalent of ten percent return on property taxes to property owners in Wisconsin,” said Representative Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam).

Born co-chairs the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, which will have no say in how the state’s $3.2 billion share the latest federal stimulus will be allocated. Governor Tony Evers this week vetoed a bill passed by Republican lawmakers last week to give JFC oversight  over federal COVID-19 spending.

Born said the tax rebate would pass legal muster, even though the federal money can’t be used for tax relief.

“We’re not impacting tax law or taxes in any way,” he said Tuesday. “This is aid to households. We’re using property taxes that were paid to arrive at the amount.”

Also during Tuesday’s press conference at the Capitol, Representative Barb Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) asked for more money for long-term facilities.

“It’s important that we recognize this industry, and the difficult year its been through. And yet the governor didn’t even mention it in his priorities,” she said.

Evers said he’s got that covered in his budget, and in the state’s share of the American Recovery Act. “We will also be prioritizing nursing homes, especially as it relates to the things that they need in order to maintain a safe environment.”

Republicans also want $500 million for broadband expansion. Evers this week said he’ll allocate $600 million for businesses, $200 million toward infrastructure, including expanding broadband access, and another $500 million for continuing the state’s pandemic response.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said Republicans may go to court, in order to get that oversight of the federal money.

Representative Pat Snyder (R-Schofield) said that remains a possibility, and that if the shoe was on the other foot, Democrats certainly wouldn’t want a Republican Governor to have control of the funds. “I think my colleagues across the aisle would love to see the Joint Finance Committee get ahold of those funds,” Snyder told WSAU. “I think that would be the right thing to do as well.”

DHS expands vaccine eligibility in Wisconsin to all age 16 and above

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There’s big news, in Wisconsin’s coronavirus vaccination effort. Beginning Monday, everyone age 16 and up will be eligible for a shot.

“This decision to move ahead with everybody really simplifies the whole scenario, for our vaccinators, for our public,” Deputy Health Services Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said on Tuesday. “No more having to sort out if you’re in or if you’re out. It’s time to just move forward and get everybody with a shot in their arm.”

Deputy Health Services Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said DHS felt comfortable with expanding eligibility because the federal government’s estimates of vaccine allotments to Wisconsin have gotten more accurate, and the state has done a good job of vaccinating its initial eligibility groups.

Evers vetoes JFC oversight of pandemic relief spending

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Governor Tony Evers announced Monday that he allocate $2.5 billion in federal stimulus funds for economic recovery in Wisconsin.

And the Democratic governor vetoed a bill passed by Republican lawmakers last week to give Joint Finance Committee control over federal COVID-19 spending.

“I’m going to veto Senate Bill 183, to make sure once we get the guidance we need from the federal government, we can work to get these funds out quickly, and make sure they don’t get tied up in some political fight in the legislature.”

During a press conference at a Milwaukee small business, Evers said he “doesn’t care who gets the credit” for pandemic relief.

“It’s never been about that for me, and it never will be. I just want to get money into pockets and make sure that our state bounces back . . . better than before,” the Democratic governor said.

Republican legislative leaders on Tuesday were to announce their priorities for spending the state’s share of the American Recovery Act.

Evers’ funding announcement includes $50 million for the tourism industry, and $600 million to help support businesses.

The governor also said he plans to allocate $200 million for infrastructure, with an emphasis on expanding broadband access, and $500 million for statewide pandemic response.

DHS advises against unnecessary travel amid rise in cases, detection of COVID-19 variants

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If you’re planning a family vacation this spring, deputy Health Services Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk hopes you’ll wait awhile, as COVID-19 variants are spreading.

“We would want to caution travel, because we don’t want to be bringing variants into Wisconsin that could spread to other folks when you come back, who are still susceptible,” Willems Van Dijk said.

“We know there are variants of this virus emerging and spreading across out nation. And we need to get these vaccine levels up a little higher, before we risk bringing further disease into our state, that will increase risk for those not yet vaccinated.”

With only about 15 percent of the state fully vaccinated against the coronavirus (as of Friday), Willems Van Dijk said DHS would advise against unnecessary travel for at least another couple months.

“I know it’s been a long hard year. I’m sure every one of us wants to go on vacation. But if we can give this just a couple more months with the kind of progress we’re making, I think we will be in a much better situation with protecting the whole of us, by being more cautious in that regard.”

On Friday, the Department of Health Services confirmed a third variant strain found in the state. This one originated in Brazil, and like other variant strains spreads more rapidly and easily than the original strain of COVID-19.

On Monday, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the U.S. is facing “impending doom” as daily Covid-19 cases begin to rebound once again.

“I’m speaking today not necessarily as your CDC director and not only as your CDC director, but as a wife, as a mother, as a daughter, to ask you to just please hold on a little while longer,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a press briefing.

DHS urges caution amid COVID-19 variants, increase in cases

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A note of caution, regarding coronavirus cases in Wisconsin. Deputy Health Services Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said virus variants are being detected in Wisconsin, as case counts increase in neighboring states.

“We are watching the number of cases very, very closely. As I’ve said previously, we were never at a low level of disease activity.”

Willems Van Dijk said Thursday that Wisconsin case numbers have decreased from the “uber high” level of about 6,000 a day, down to about 450 daily cases

“That is still very high,” she said.

Willems Van Dijk said Wisconsinites needs to keep masking up and avoiding large gatherings for at least a couple more months while more people get vaccinated.

The state now has detected 69 cases of the B117 variant first identified in the U.K. up from 55 last week. There were 776 new cases Wednesday, the highest daily total in a month.

DHS works to address vaccine hesitancy as eligibility expands

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Wisconsin public health officials are working to overcome vaccine hesitancy. Stephanie Schauer is Director of the Wisconsin COVID-19 Immunization Program.

“There’s a number of reasons why folks may not want to step up and receive the vaccine,” Schauer said.

Schauer said side effects are generally mild and a sign your body is responding, and that vaccines have been proven to be safe and efficacious in clinical trials.

“And we hope that that information reassures people, and encourages them that these are safe and effective vaccines, and avail themselves.”

On Monday, some two million additional state residents age 16 and up with a variety of underlying health concerns became vaccine eligible.

Senate approves bill that would require schools to teach about Holocaust and other genocides

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The Wisconsin Senate has passed legislation that would require schools to teach about the Holocaust and other genocides.

Milwaukee Democrat Lena Taylor proposed an amendment that would have added the African slave trade to the bill.

“Two million Black people are estimated to have died. Ten to fourteen million were forcibly transported,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s effort failed, on a day Senate Republicans also refused to consider a Black History Month resolution, but did approve one honoring the late Rush Limbaugh. Under the bill, schools would have to instruct on the Holocaust and other genocides at least once in grades 5-8 and once in grades 9-12.

“It is funded by a foundation specifically to fund a model academic curriculum, for this particular issues and all other genocides,” said the bill’s author, River Hills Republican Alberta Darling. “So there is room to talk about, and it should spark the conversation about what’s happening in our world today. Because that’s the point of studying the Holocaust. What happened, and why it should never happen again.”