October 26, 2020
Wisconsin political news for clients and colleagues.
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In this edition of Hamilton Political Tidbits:
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Wisconsin Election Preview: State Senate |
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With the election only a week away, Wisconsin polling between Trump and Biden remains consistent as insiders await Wednesday’s Marquette poll to see if any final momentum swings can be detected. Trump is making multiple stops in the state over the final weeks while Biden has mostly sent surrogates since his September visits to Kenosha and Manitowoc.
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COVID-19 Orders and Current Challenges |
Wisconsin is facing an uptick of cases, while COVID-19 remains as the top issue both in the state and nation. Gov. Evers has issued emergency orders to address the pandemic and faces numerous legal challenges. This legal push and pull on COVID-19 policies has shaped the state’s political backdrop heading into the election.
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Update on Wisconsin’s CARES Plan |
This week, Governor Evers updated the public regarding state’s plan to invest federal funds to address the response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, Wisconsin was directly allocated $1.99 billion dollars from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was made available to Wisconsin through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. All federal dollars must be expended by the end of 2020.
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PFAS Update: DNR Stakeholder Meeting and WisPac Releases Draft Plan |
On Friday, October 9, the Department of Natural Resources held another Stakeholder Group for PFAS Rules. The meeting focused on the background regarding the economic impact analysis (EIA), the EIA conceptual framework for Water Quality Standards rule and wastewater and drinking water sampling efforts.
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PSCW Extends Shut-Off Moratorium Through the Winter |
On Thursday, Oct. 22, the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin voted 2-1 to extend the shut-off moratorium of water utilities until April. Last month, the PSC voted to extend utility shut-off moratorium until November 1, 2020. Starting on November 1, 2020, the annual winter moratorium for gas and electric customers will go into effect. The annual winter moratorium runs until April 15, 2021.
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DWD Announces Worker Training Grants |
The Department of Workforce Development’s Office of Skills Development (OSD) will begin accepting applications for a worker training grant opportunity next week. The “Industry Sectors Worker Training Grant” is a redesigned opportunity in the Wisconsin Fast Forward program.
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OCI Releases Task Force Report on Reducing Prescription Drug Prices |
On Oct. 21, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI), with Deputy Commissioner and Task Force Chair Nathan Houdek’s signature, released the Governor’s Task Force on Reducing Prescription Drug Prices final 2020 report. The report is the product of the task force’s work to identify strategies to improve prescription drug affordability and accessibility for Wisconsin citizens.
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