Republican state lawmakers have unveiled a new bill responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin, a proposal they intend to fast-track to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk, according to the leader of the state Assembly.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said the new proposal was drafted in consultation with the GOP-controlled state Senate. It is scheduled for a public hearing and vote by the Assembly health committee Tuesday.
The new GOP-backed proposal, which mirrors some elements of an Assembly plan released in early December, would give businesses, schools and governmental entities legal immunity if someone contracts COVID-19 on their premises, even if the entity isn’t following local, state or federal requirements to curb the spread of the virus.
The bill would also:
- Bar schools from providing virtual instruction, unless its school board votes to approve virtual instruction by a two-thirds vote of its members. Each approval would last only 14 days.
- Require the state unemployment insurance call center to expand its hours until a backlog of unemployment claims is at pre-pandemic levels.
- Extend the suspension of a one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits until March 14.
- Prohibit the state Department of Health Services, local health officials, and employers from requiring people to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Limit local health officers’ ability to restrict capacity of businesses during the pandemic to 14-day periods, unless the local government approves an extension of such an order. Each extension could only last 14 days.
- Bar the state Department of Health Services and local health officers from closing or forbidding gatherings in places of worship.
- Allow a nursing home or assisted living facility resident to designate an essential visitor to visit and provide support for the resident.
- Require health insurers to cover testing for COVID-19 without imposing any copayment or coinsurance.
- Give the state budget committee more power over how federal COVID-19 relief funds are spent.
- Require the governor to submit a plan to reopen the state Capitol Building to the public.
On Monday afternoon, the governor’s spokesperson, Britt Cudaback, criticized Republicans for not working with Evers on a bipartisan bill.
“It’s disappointing that instead of passing the COVID compromise the governor and Republican leaders worked on together, Republicans now plan to move ahead with their own legislation,” Cudaback said. “Wisconsinites deserve legislators who will put politics aside and work together to do what’s best for the people of our state.”