November 20, 2020
Wisconsin political news for clients and colleagues.
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In this edition of Hamilton Political Tidbits:
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Legislators Chose New Leadership; Finance Co-Chairs Announced
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On Thursday Nov. 5, Senate Republicans met to determine who will be the Senate leadership for the 2021-22 legislative session. With Sen. Scott Fitzgerald being elected to Congress, the Senate Majority Leader position was open with two Senators running – Sen. Roger Roth (R – Appleton) and Sen. Devin LeMahieu (R – Oostburg). Many political insiders thought Sen. Roth – the current Senate President – was the likely heir apparent, however Senate Republicans agreed Sen. LeMahieu is to be the new Senate Majority Leader.
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COVID-19 Orders and Case Updates |
Wisconsin continues to shatter daily records for COVID-19 cases and deaths. Despite litigation challenging his ability to issue subsequent public health emergencies, this week, Gov. Evers announced he plans to extend the statewide mask mandate through mid-January. The state Supreme Court will likely weigh in before then with a decision that could leave the governor will limited ability to issue more statewide restrictions.
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Round 2 of COVID-19 Legislation Begins |
On Tuesday November 17, Governor Evers released another COVID-19 response legislation. The omnibus bill includes several policy proposals that were included the state’s initial COVID-19 bill (2019 Act 185) from earlier this year. In addition, the governor is proposing $541 million in spending to continue the current pandemic response efforts such as COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, capacity support and vaccine distribution.
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Meet the New Senators-Elect |
Senate Republicans have expanded their margin to 21-12 by picking up two Democrat seats and assuming Republicans will successfully defend Senator Fitzgerald’s seat after he vacates it. Overall, for the 2021-22 legislative session, there will be eight “Freshman” Senators, including five Republicans and three Democrats. This incoming group includes several familiar faces of former Assembly representatives, a past candidate for governor and the former DATCP Secretary.
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Announcing Hamilton’s Updated PFAS Issue Page |
We updated our PFAS webpage to make sure you can easily track PFAS rules, legislation, and blog posts. Check out the new PFAS Issue Update today and make sure to bookmark it for future reference!
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