by Chris Kulow | Dec 3, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue
From a release from the governor’s office: Gov. Tony Evers today announced he will deliver the upcoming State of the State address and biennial budget message virtually as COVID-19 continues to surge across the state. The State of the State address will be delivered at 7:00 p.m. on Tues., January 12, 2021, and pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 16.45, the governor has requested to deliver his budget message at 7:00 p.m. on Tues., February 16, 2021.
“I have spent the better part of the last year encouraging Wisconsinites to stay home as often as possible, practice social distancing, and limit interactions and gatherings with people outside of their immediate households. As you both know, I believe elected leaders must lead by example,” said Gov. Evers in a letter to legislative leaders. “To this end, and consistent with our continued recommendations to Wisconsinites, I will deliver my State of the State address and budget message to Wisconsinites virtually next year.” (more…)
by Dan Rossmiller | Dec 3, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, State Issue
Yesterday (12/2), the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) published a new Emergency Rule (Emergency Rule 2043) intended to provide flexibility under Chapter PI 34 (the licensing-related chapter) of the DPI’s administrative rules to help address staffing needs in schools and to adjust student teaching requirements in clinical programs.
The Emergency Rule amends the short-term substitute provisions in PI 34 to allow for extended assignments during the pandemic. To help board members and administrators understand the changes, our November WASB Legal and Legislative Update Webinar focused on this rule change. In addition, the WASB created a brief guide describing the Emergency Rule and its effect on the assignment of persons in various licensure categories and its effect on pre-student teaching and student teaching clinical program requirements.
Licensure flexibility is among the flexibilities the WASB has been advocating for to help schools during the pandemic.
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by Chris Kulow | Dec 3, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, State Issue
We want to recognize Speaker Robin Vos and the Assembly Republican caucus for proposing a legislative package to address the needs of the state in dealing with the ongoing public health pandemic. After months of inactivity, this movement toward advancing concrete proposals is encouraging. Along with Gov. Tony Evers’ proposal, there are now two plans for consideration to look for items that can receive bipartisan agreement.
There are a number of K-12 education provisions included in the Republican package that will be helpful to school boards. The WASB is supportive of efforts to help provide students with personal computing devices and re-creating a grant program for this purpose. We are also supportive of the provision intended to protect schools from civil liability in regard to COVID-19-related lawsuits.
That being said, the WASB is very concerned about a number of provisions that would pre-empt local school board decision-making and penalize districts for decisions made in the interest of public safety. The WASB opposes proposals to require staff to be physically present in buildings, require a two-thirds majority vote on the school board to provide instruction virtually and financially penalize districts that provide instruction virtually. (more…)
by Chris Kulow | Dec 3, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, State Issue
According to multiple media reports, new GOP Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) says the Senate will not come in to take up any COVID-19 relief legislation in December. This comes on the heels of Assembly Republicans unveiling a legislative package and ongoing discussions between Governor Evers, Speaker Vos and Sen. LeMahieu on trying to reach an agreement on state legislation. The governor had previously released his own legislative proposal. This seems to ensure there will be nothing passed by a lame duck legislature this month and pushes back any possible response to January 2021 at the earliest, when the new legislature is sworn in.
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by Chris Kulow | Dec 2, 2020 | Legislative Update Blog, State Budget, State Issue
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) has appointed Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) as Assembly co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) replacing Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) who abruptly resigned his Assembly seat this week. Born’s appointment takes effect at the the end of the day (12/2). Rep. Born represents the 39th Assembly District to which he was elected in 2012 and has served as a member of JFC since 2017. Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) will be reappointed as vice-chair.
The Speaker’s release indicates the remaining Assembly GOP members of the JFC will be announced soon.
