Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) issued the following statement regarding the ongoing discussions between Governor Tony Evers and Republican legislative leaders relating to the development of Covid-19 recovery legislation:
“As we enter 2021, there will be a need for additional state legislation relating to our Covid-19 recovery efforts. The people of Wisconsin have learned to live with Covid-19 and apply common sense voluntary safety protocols. Unfortunately, state government’s ability to operate effectively under the leadership of Governor Evers and DHS Secretary-Designee Andrea Palm is a disaster.
Governor Evers has yet to come forward with a date for the reopening of state government buildings and a return of most state employees to their facilities. Secretary-Designee Palm has failed to develop an effective plan to move Wisconsin forward into the recovery phase in 2021. The Evers administration and far too many local public health bureaucrats are still focused on abusing their powers to shut things down and lock people in their homes rather than working with the public to seek a realistic plan to move our state forward.
I have made my Senate leadership aware of the provisions that must be in a bill to gain my support:
-Reopen state government.
-Prioritize K-12 state funding to schools providing in-person classes for students at all grade levels.
-Require districts that have been mostly virtual since September 2020 to compensate parents.
-Empower parents over teachers’ unions by dramatically expanding all school choice programs for both public and private K-12 schools.
-Prohibit the excessive powers of both state and local public health bureaucrats to control every aspect of our daily lives.”
