Evers’ Administration Budget Reductions
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | September 23, 2020
From The Wheeler Report…
In May, Governor Evers announce that DOA in partnership with other state agencies were able to identify $70 million in cost savings in state operations which would come as 2019-20 budget reductions. The Governor then announced in July that he would be seeing additional cuts to state spending with a target of $250 million in savings. Today, DOA and the Governor announced they were able to find more than $300 million in savings to return to the general fund.
The table below shows the reductions made as announced by agency.
| State Agency | Final 2019-20 Budget Reductions ($) | Final 20-21 Reduction Target ($) | Total Reduction over 2019-21 Budget ($) |
| Administration | 552,200 | 1,843,800 | 2,396,000 |
| DATCP | 1,151,600 | 3,142,500 | 4,294,100 |
| DFI | 898,600 | 1,450,000 | 2,348,600 |
| OCI | 986,200 | 2,469,600 | 3,455,800 |
| ECB | 243,500 | 243,500 | |
| HEAB | 40,000 | 40,000 | |
| Historical Society | 1,028,600 | 1,028,600 | |
| DPI | 2,747,900 | 8,877,000 | 11,624,900 |
| UW System | 40,774,400 | 45,036,500 | 85,810,900 |
| Technical College System Board | 150,800 | 5,923,700 | 6,074,500 |
| DNR | 1,494,700 | 5,074,800 | 6,569,500 |
| Tourism | 714,000 | 801,300 | 1,515,300 |
| DOC | 2,397,300 | 28,243,700 | 30,641,000 |
| Employment Relations | 58,700 | 58,700 | |
| Board on Aging and Long-Term Care | 115,000 | 115,000 | |
| DHS | 7,482,700 | 31,720,700 | 39,203,400 |
| DCF | 1,910,500 | 24,705,700 | 26,616,200 |
| DWD | 367,500 | 367,500 | 735,000 |
| DOJ | 3,400,000 | 3,400,000 | |
| DMA | 510,400 | 846,900 | 1,357,300 |
| BCPL | 107,800 | 107,800 | |
| Governor’s Office | 201,360 | 506,200 | 707,560 |
| DOR | 5,671,400 | 5,671,500 | 11,342,900 |
| Miscellaneous Appropriations | 998,900 | 998,900 | |
| Miscellaneous Appropriations – Veterans Trust Fund | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000 | |
| Program Supplements – Maintenance of Capitol and Executive Residence | 4,508,900 | 4,508,900 | |
| Program Supplements – Discretionary Merit Compensation Awards | 2,300,000 | 2,300,000 | |
| DHS – Medicaid Savings | 120,000,000 | 120,000,000 | |
| WEDC | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| Total | 69,976,760 | 301,482,800 | 371,459,560 |
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Top Republicans Oppose Evers’ Mask Mandate Extension
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | September 23, 2020
From WisPolitics.com …
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald slammed Gov. Tony Evers’ new mask mandate as “not worth the paper it’s printed on,” and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos called it “obviously illegal.”
But their separate statements were silent on calls from some of their GOP members to reconvene the Legislature for a vote that would overturn the new order.
After Evers issued the original mask mandate on July 30, Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said his caucus had the votes to overturn it. But Vos, R-Rochester, instead focused on the legal challenge he expected from private groups.
The guv’s original mask mandate was politically popular, with 69 percent of registered voters in an August poll saying they supported requiring face coverings in public places, while 29 percent were opposed.
“Governor Evers’ order is moot, illegal, invalid, and almost assuredly headed for litigation,” Fitzgerald said today.
Vos added, “There is already a court challenge and undoubtedly, there will be more. No one branch of government can rule outside the letter of the law and go unchecked, even during a pandemic.”
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Evers Issues New Health Emergency, Face Mask Order
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | September 22, 2020
From The Wheeler Report . . .
Governor Evers declared a new public health emergency in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin. Executive Order #90, proclaims a public health emergency and designates the Dept. of Health Services as the lead agency to respond, authorizes the Adjutant General to activate the Wisconsin National Guard as necessary to assist in response, and directs all state agencies to assist as appropriate in the ongoing response to the emergency. The emergency shall remain in effect for 60 days, or until revoked by the Governor or by joint resolution of the Legislature.
The public health emergency also comes with a new face coverings order effective immediately. Emergency Order #1 requires face coverings for “every individual, age five and older” when the individual is indoors or in an enclosed space other than a private residence. Individuals may remove the face covering in the following situations:
- While eating or drinking.
- When communicating with an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing and communication cannot be achieved through other means.
- While obtaining a service that requires the temporary removal of the face covering, such as dental services.
- While sleeping.
- While swimming or on duty as a lifeguard
- While a single individual is giving a religious, political, media, educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation for an audience, the single speaker may remove the face covering when actively speaking. While the face covering is removed, the speaker must remain at least 6 feet away from all other individuals at all times.
- When engaging in work where wearing a face covering would create a risk to the individual, as determined by government safety guidelines.
- When necessary to confirm the individual’s identity, including when entering a bank, credit union, or other financial institution.
- When federal or state law or regulations prohibit wearing a face covering.
The face covering order shall expire on November 21, 2020, or by subsequent superseding emergency order.
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Latest Regulatory Changes to FFCRA Leave
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | September 18, 2020
From the Legal Side…
In its most recent School Law FYI, the BoardmanClark Law Firm focuses on revisions to the Department of Labor (DOL) regulations governing leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
The SAA regularly receives these legal updates and we believe this is valuable information for SAA members. We are distributing this update to SAA members with the permission of the BoardmanClark Law Firm. The information in this update is no substitute for consulting with your district legal counsel, and we encourage you to do so.
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Local Governments Can Donate Supplies to School Districts Utilizing Unused COVID-19 Relief Funds
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | September 17, 2020
At an August 17th meeting between officials from the Howard-Suamico School District and Senator Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) and other area legislators, one of the topics of discussion was the extra financial burden carried by the district for COVID-19 safety and technology expenditures necessary for the district’s school reopening plans. That initial discussion, and considerable legwork by Senator Cowles and his staff, generated a collaborative partnership that recently resulted in the Village of Howard acting to donate supplies purchased with unused COVID-19 relief funds to the Howard-Suamico School District.
Check out Senator Cowles’ press release and his letter to school district leaders in his Senate district encouraging them to establish similar partnerships with local governments to help reduce COVID-19 related expenses to school districts. Many thanks to Senator Cowles for his work on this effort. For more information on partnering with your local governments in this fashion, you can email questions to covidgovgrant@wisconsin.gov or contact Senator Cowles’ office at 608-266-0484.
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