Hamilton Political Tidbits – April 9, 2021

On Wednesday, March 31, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a ruling in Jeré Fabick v. Tony Evers, holding 4-3 that the governor cannot issue successive emergency declarations on the same subject. Petitioner Jeré Fabick sought a declaratory judgement on Governor Tony Evers’ authority to issue multiple public health emergency declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Justice Brian Hagedorn delivered the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice Pat Roggensack and Justices Annette Ziegler and Rebecca Bradley. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote a dissenting opinion joined by Justices Rebecca Dallet and Jill Karofsky.

On Friday, March 26, Governor Tony Evers announced that he had signed 14 bills into law, including several key healthcare-related bills. One of these bills was Senate Bill 3, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 9. Gov. Evers also signed Assembly Bill 148 into law as 2021 Wisconsin Act 10. He also vetoed several bills.

On Monday, April 5, a three-judge panel from the District IV Court of Appeals ruled against Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) and in favor of Governor Tony Evers, his administration, and the media in a case involving information about businesses whose employees have contracted COVID-19. The lawsuit was filed in October 2020 in Waukesha County Circuit Court by WMC, the state’s largest business association, as well as two local chambers of commerce.

As of Monday, April 5, all Wisconsin residents 16 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Gov. Evers and the Department of Health Services (DHS) announced the expanded eligibility in late March. According to Ballotpedia, as of April 8, all individuals 16 and older are eligible for a vaccine in at least some parts of 42 states.

On Friday, March 26, Governor Tony Evers signed into law 2021 Wisconsin Act 23, a bipartisan piece of legislation to update how Wisconsin regulates physician assistants (PAs). The bill (Assembly Bill 125) passed the Assembly on March 16 and the Senate on March 23, both on voice votes. Most of the provisions will take effect on April 1, 2022, except for the creation of a PA Affiliated Credentialing Board, which took effect on March 28. Staff with the Department of Safety and Professional Services report that they are working with Gov. Evers’ office to begin making appointments to this new board.