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Evers calls special session of legislature – says voter referendum could allow for repeal of state abortion ban

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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers wants to give voters a say on the status of abortion in Wisconsin. Evers has proposed a special session of the Legislature, to take up a constitutional amendment allowing statewide referendums.

Evers said that could provide a pathway for Wisconsin voters to repeal the state’s 1849 law which criminalizes abortion. Republicans quickly rejected the idea.

During a press conference at the Capitol on Wednesday, Evers cited Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, who has said the issue of abortion ought to be resolved by voters in the states.

“I heard it directly from Senator Johnson’s mouth. He said look let’s let the people take care of this. And we agree with him.”

The Democratic governor said voters in both parties are “appalled” by the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. ”We had fifty years of rights that suddenly disappeared overnight, and a legislature that is unwilling to even discuss it. That’s disgusting.”

But Johnson and Republican legislative leaders were quick to reject the idea. Johnson accused Democrats of exploiting the issue by politicizing it before an election. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu called the proposal a “desperate political stunt.”

The Republican led legislature has not convened for any of Evers’ previous special session calls.

 

 

 

 

 

Evers and Michels to debate October 14

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Wisconsin voters will have one opportunity to see Governor Tony Evers and Republican Tim Michels debate prior to the November election. The debate organized by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association will be broadcast Friday October 14, from the studios of WISC Channel 3 in Madison.

It will feature questions from journalists from stations across Wisconsin. In a joint statement, campaigns for both Evers and Michaels confirmed Monday they would participate. The most recent Marquette Law School Poll from August showed a statistical tie between Evers and Michels.

DHS expands eligibility for Monkeypox vaccination

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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has expanded the eligibility criteria for who can get vaccinated to protect themselves against monkeypox. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ryan Westergaard

“The change today is that we are comfortable that we have a higher level of vaccine available,” said Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ryan Westergaard. “And we’re at a point in this epidemic where we hope to be turning the corner and want to make sure as many people who are at elevated risk can get vaccinated as possible. So we’ve expanded the criteria for people who have not potentially had an exposure in the past but may in the future.”

As of Tuesday, 63 cases of monkeypox have been identified in Wisconsin. DHS reports nearly 98 percent of Wisconsin cases have occurred in men. Most cases self-reported having sexual contact with other men.

There have been several hospitalizations due to monkeypox in Wisconsin. “When hospitalization is necessary it’s usually because of pain control, or to make sure that someone gets the dose of experimental antiviral treatment Tecovirimat,” Westergaard said. “So it has happened but the majority have been self-limited, resolving on their own in the outpatient setting. But we have had several hospitalizations.”

In addition to expanding vaccine eligibility criteria, DHS is asking health care providers to reach out to communities of color which have been disproportionately affected by the virus.

Evers urges JFC to complete work on opioid settlement spending plan

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Governor Tony Evers has weighed in, on the ongoing delay in releasing funds from an opioid lawsuit settlement. In Mount Horeb on Monday, he said Republicans on the legislature’s finance committee made a mistake, in not approving a plan from the state Department of Health Services

“Especially since they weren’t able to explain yet what exactly that problem was,” Evers said during a stop in Mount Horeb on Monday.

Evers said the ball’s in the court of committee co-chairs, Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Mark Born. “I saw Representative Born on TV last night. He said something’s gonna happen soon. Let’s make it happen representative, people are waiting.”

Born told WKOW’s Capitol City Sunday that changes to the plan will be completed in the next several weeks. Democrats have called for the release of six million dollars in settlement funds, for things including Narcan and fentanyl test strips

Dems request JFC action on portion of opioid settlement funds

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Some Democrats in the Wisconsin Legislature are calling for the release of some funding, from Wisconsin’s share of an opioid settlement. Last week, the Republican co-chairs of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee rejected a plan submitted by the state Department of Health Services, to spend money from Wisconsin’s share of an opioid lawsuit settlement.

At the Capitol on Wednesday, state Senator Jon Erpenbach, a Democrat on the committee, called for the release of at least a small portion of that, for Narcan, which can used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

“The idea that we could spend $3 million and get Narcan all over the state of Wisconsin is so important. Just absolutely so important. And the Republicans who objected to this, they’re at a different level of stupid right now, and it’s dangerous,” Erpenbach said.

The first phase of the DHS plan allocates $3 million for Narcan, $2 million for fentanyl test strips and $1 million towards drug prevention efforts.

In a statement JFC co-chairs, Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Mark Born, did not cite any specific objections to the plan. And DHS Secretary designee Karen Timberlake doesn’t know, either

“We have received no further communication about what is still lacking in the updated plan that we submitted at the end of July”, she said.

Born and Marklein’s statement said the committee “will swiftly improve the plan” to distribute the funds. DHS will receive 30 percent of the $400 million  from the suit, disbursed over the next 16 years.

Erpenbach and and Timberlake were joined at Wednesday’s press conference by Attorney General Josh Kaul and Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. Barrett and Kaul are both up for reelection and face Republican opponents in November, as does Governor Tony Evers, in whose administration Timberlake serves. Erpenbach announced last year that he is not seeking reelection.

Republican leaders quick to reject Evers’ tax cut plan

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Governor Tony Evers has made an election year tax cut pitch, one that was quickly rejected by Republican leaders in the Wisconsin legislature.

With latest Marquette poll seeming to show the Democratic governor in a tight reelection race with millionaire business executive Tim Michels, Evers on Tuesday announced a plan to provide $600 million in tax relief to working Wisconsinites. Evers would tap part of the state’s projected projected $4-billion budget surplus to cover the costs.

“We can do this because our economy is strong, and people have suffered,” Evers said during a Milwaukee press conference. “We’re still fighting issues of run of inflation. And so I’m hopeful the legislature will see the wisdom in this.”

In a joint statement, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos responded to Evers’ plan.

LeMahieu said if the governor is serious about providing financial relief to Wisconsinites he could do so immediately using federal ARPA dollars, rather than using a taxpayer surplus to create what LeMahieu called “a political division.” Vos said if the projected surplus materializes, Republicans will cut taxes for everyone, not pick winners and losers, like Evers does with this plan.

 

 

Finance Committee reallocates funding for youth corrections facilities in Milwaukee and Racine counties

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At the Capitol on Tuesday, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance reallocated more than $21 million in bonding to offset rising costs for Milwaukee and Racine counties to build new youth corrections facilities.

“It certainly doesn’t mean that we’re done doing all the work necessary to see this transition and modernization of our juvenile justice system in Wisconsin, but it is one significant step forward in the right direction,” said committee member, Representative Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee).

The facilities are part of the ongoing effort, towards replacing the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls with regional facilities.

Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) co-chairs, Representative Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) released the following statement after the committee approved an updated plan for juvenile corrections facilities in Wisconsin.

“The Legislature has demonstrated our commitment to providing meaningful, effective correctional services for youth in our state and their families. These Secure Residential Care Centers for children and youth (SRCCCYs) are an important component of the future of our juvenile corrections system, which provides essential rehabilitation services while protecting public safety.

“Our JFC action today is one more important step toward fulfilling our promise to close Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake. The updated plan we approved, created in collaboration with the counties where the SRCCCYs will be located, will redistribute funding so these projects are able to move forward and bring those at Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake closer to their support systems.”

Michels defeats Kleefisch in Republican primary for governor

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Construction company executive Tim Michels pledges to work for hard-working taxpayers of Wisconsin, as he faces Democratic Governor Tony Evers in November. Michels defeated former lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch in Tuesday’s Republican primary.

“To people that feel like the Democratic Party has left them for social issues, you are gonna have a governor that’s going to stand up for the hard-working taxpaying law-abiding citizens of Wisconsin,” Michels said.

He said he’ll make Evers “a non-essential worker” in November. But Michels also said he’s willing to work with Democrats, including Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

Michels received the endorsement of former president Donald Trump.

Barnes wins Democratic U.S. Senate primary

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Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes will face U.S. Senator Ron Johnson in November. Barnes greeted supporters in Milwaukee following his Democratic primary win on Tuesday

“And while Ron Johnson does the hard work to trying to divide us, and to distract us from what he’s really doing in Washington, the one thing that he does not understand is that each and every single one of us in every community across this great state has so much more in common with one another than we’ll ever with self-serving out of touch politicians like Ron Johnson.”

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson

Barnes’ major primary opponents all dropped out and endorsed him last week. In a statement, Johnson said “The leaders of the Democrat party have chosen their most radical left candidate for the U.S. Senate race. It sure doesn’t seem like Wisconsin voters had much of a choice in the matter.”

“Republicans have done nothing to help people in this room today, people like us,” Barnes said. “They turn their backs on every single one of us every step of the way. And that’s why we’re replacing Ron Johnson.”

Johnson said Barnes “will support all the destructive policies of President Biden and his enablers in congress. This is a contest between radical left socialism versus freedom and prosperity.”

Evers announces Milwaukee site for new youth prison

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Governor Tony Evers has announced a site for a new state youth prison. Calling it a major step toward closing Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls, Evers on Tuesday announced plans to build a new youth prison on Milwaukee’s northwest side. In a statement, Evers said it’s one major step closer to getting kids out of the facilities, which were initially to have closed last July. The Milwaukee Common Council is expected to vote on the proposed site on Friday. Building on the site would require city approval, under a state law that approved 42 million dollars for the new facility.-

Even with Common Council support of the selected site, many steps remain before construction can start, including public hearings, local plan and rezoning approval and notification to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance.