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House passed gun safety package going nowhere in Senate

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A gun safety package passed in the House on Wednesday appears doomed in the U.S. Senate. The bills collectively called the “Protecting Our Kids Act” passed with only five Republican votes, none from Wisconsin.

It would raise the minimum age to buy semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, ban high-capacity magazines and establish storage requirements for gun owners.

The legislation would also list bump stocks under the National Firearms Act, ban bump stocks for civilian use and ensure ghost guns are subject to existing federal firearm protections.

On Thursday, the House voted to pass a federal “red flag” bill intended to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others. That legislation also received just five Republican votes.

Ten Senate Republicans are needed to break the 60-vote filibuster threshold, and that’s unlikely. “You ask yourself, how many children how many Americans have their lives taken away by gun violence until the Congress acts,” Wisconsin Democrat, Senator Tammy Baldwin told WRN.

“I feel like these MAGA Republicans are more beholden to the NRA and the gun manufacturers than they are to the children and families and individuals they represent in their states.”

Asked what he’d support, Republican Senator Ron Johnson deflected, telling reporters “let’s enforce the laws we already have. Let’s start with Hunter Biden.”

Senate negotiators are discussing less bold measures, including encouraging states to create red-flag systems,  expanding background checks to incorporate juvenile records, along with funding for mental health programs and school security improvements.

The Republican controlled Wisconsin legislature has previously rejected red flag legislation and expanded background checks.

Evers vetoes Republican drawn redistricting maps

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Governor Tony Evers has vetoed Republican-drawn maps for Wisconsin’s new legislative and congressional districts.

The Democratic governor’s action moves redistricting to the Wisconsin Supreme Court – where lawsuits are already filed.

“I told the legislature early on to go back to the drawing board when these were first introduced,” Evers said Thursday. “I’ve said all along, I’d veto these maps if they came to my desk.”

Justices could select new maps by early next year. A federal court has signaled it will wait to see what the Wisconsin high court decides before acting on lawsuits filed there.

Milwaukee Dem is vocal supporter as Assembly sends GOP literacy screening bill to Evers

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Students would be screened for literacy skills at least three times each school year in kindergarten through second-grade, under a bill headed to the governor’s desk.

On the Assembly floor Tuesday, Racine Republican Robert Wittke explained the stark realities the bill hopes to address.

“Six-hundred thousand children in this state cannot read to grade level. We have the worst racial achievement gaps in the country,” Wittke said

Representative Don Vruwink of Milton, a retired educator, was critical. “It seems to me here in the Assembly we have continually slapped a band-aid and said ‘this is going to fix the problem.’”

Democrat and educator LaKeshia Myers of Milwaukee supports the Republican authored measure. “I’m tired of the same data, reporting the same thing year after year. It’s time for us to stop making excuses and actually do something,” Myers said. “I don’t care who introduced this bill, whether it was a Republican, whether it was a Democrat, whether it was Jesus himself, I will still go along with this bill.”

Democrats also said it doesn’t make sense to screen every student, and that the bill lacks a long term funding source. The bill is opposed by several groups representing school districts, and it’s not clear whether Governor Tony Evers will sign it.

Dane County extends indoor mask mandate

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Dane County is extending its COVID-19 emergency order. Public Health Madison and Dane County cites a rise in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant, and high community transmission.

Instead of expiring on Friday, the Dane County health orders are now good through November 5th. The mandate requires everyone age two and older wear a face covering or mask in public indoor places where there are other people.

 

Republican state Senator wants to block UW System COVID-19 protocols

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Senator Steve Nass

A Republican state legislator is seeking to block the University of Wisconsin System’s COVID-19 plans for the fall.

State Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) wants the UW System to get legislative approval for any virus-related regulations. Nass co-chairs the legislature’s administrative rules committee. Nass explained his decision in media release on Wednesday.   

Unfortunately, some chancellors in the UW System consider themselves mini-Andrea Palms not beholden to following state law and moving quickly to take advantage of the Delta-variant hysteria to enact excessive Covid-19 mandates.  The legislature should not drag its feet in utilizing the powers we have to prevent state agencies from abusing the statutory and constitutional rights of citizens as was done in 2020.

 

Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson

Senator Kelda Roys (D-Madison) serves on the rules committee, and her district includes the Madison campus. “It’s just hard to see how any rational person could think that prohibiting any COVID precautions is a good idea. I mean unless you really think that unmitigated spread of COVID is a good thing,” said Roys.

Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson did not directly address Nass’ proposal, but expressed his concerns in a statement released on Thursday.

Given my experience as a former United States Health and Human Services Secretary, I know the biggest threat to in-person classes this fall would be actions that strip the UW System of the tools it has so successfully used to date to address outbreaks and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Nass plans to hold a paper ballot vote Tuesday in the committee, in which Republicans hold a 6-to-4 majority. His effort to restrict the UW System’s efforts come with Wisconsin the midst of an increase in new COVID-19 infections.

Record 120 COVID-19 deaths reported in Wisconsin on Tuesday

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A record more deaths due to COVID-19 were recorded in a single day in Wisconsin on Tuesday.

Although the deaths were reported Tuesday, they may have occurred earlier. Still, it’s the highest single day number reported by the state Department of Health Services since the beginning of the pandemic. That brings the total in Wisconsin to 4,545, and the average over the past week to 60 per day.

There were 2,403 new confirmed cases Tuesday on just over 6800 tests as both new cases and new tests continue to decline.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Wisconsin Hospitals Association reported 1,274 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, with 281 in ICUs. Those figures are both down from highs set in mid-November.

Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations exceed 2,000 for the first time

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For the first time since the start of the global pandemic, there are more than 2,000 COVID-19 patients in Wisconsin hospitals.

The Wisconsin Hospitals Association updates its dashboard of COVID-19 data daily, and as of Monday afternoon it showed 2,003 patients being treated for the virus, with 396 in ICUs.

The state Department of Health Services reported 4,360 new cases on Monday, and a 7-day average of well over 5,000 cases. DHS also reported 17 additional deaths for a total of 2,329 lives lost in the state.

State and local public health agencies and hospital groups continue to plead with the public to follow recommended guidelines to help “flatten the curve,” and slow transmission of the virus in Wisconsin communities.

 

No new COVID-19 deaths in Wisconsin for third straight day

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For a third straight day, no new deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in Wisconsin.

That’s according to the daily summary from the state Department of Health Services. The number of test results reported dropped to one of its lowest points in recent weeks, pushing the percentage of positive test results up.

DHS reported that 717 — or 17.6 percent — of 4,083 tests were returned as positive. The seven day rolling average of new cases is 842 per day, and the seven day average rate of new infections is 11.3 percent.

No new deaths means that number holds at 1,168 lives lost in Wisconsin due to coronavirus.

Thursday COVID-19 numbers – 4 deaths, 7.9% positive test rate

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The coronavirus continues to claim lives and hospitalize people in Wisconsin.

Thursday’s daily statewide COVID-19 update included four additional deaths and 30 more hospitalizations over the previous 24 hours. The Department of Health Services reported 727 – or 7.9 percent – of 9,178 new test results were positive.

The seven-day average of reported positive daily cases is 674, down from 701 a week ago. Hospitals are currently treating 287 patients with 91 in intensive care.

The Wisconsin death toll from the global pandemic is 1,146.

Wednesday COVID-19 numbers for Wisconsin

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Wisconsin reported a half-dozen more deaths and over 40 more hospitalizations on Wednesday.


The Department of Health Services reported 768 — or 7.4 percent — of 10,378 new test results were returned as positive, according to new numbers released Wednesday.

The number of new cases and percentage of new cases were both up from Tuesday’s 638, and 6.4 percent. The seven-day average of 681 new daily cases is still lower than 747 a week ago. Six deaths bring the total number of lives lost in Wisconsin to 1100.