Dear President-elect Kapenga and Speaker Vos:
Congratulations again on your elections to serve as leaders in your respective chambers. I look forward to working with both of you in the coming day, weeks, and months as we continue our state’s response to this pandemic and preventing the spread of COVID-19 to ensure our state’s economic recovery.
For folks across our state and our country, the COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented effects on our daily lives. As we begin a new legislative session in January, we must continue our work building on the down payment we made during the last legislative session on increasing access to quality, affordable healthcare, fully funding our public schools, and fixing our roads and bridges. We must also acknowledge and expect, however, that like so many things this past year, this legislative session might look differently than it has before.
COVID-19 continues to rage on in Wisconsin in the absence of comprehensive, statewide mitigation strategies supported by science and public health experts. We will nevertheless continue doing everything we can to fight this virus, including distributing a vaccine as it becomes available, but it remains likely we will still need to take precautions to stop the spread in the new year. In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives, 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.
To this end, and consistent with our continued recommendations to Wisconsinite, I will deliver my State of the State address and budget message to Wisconsinites virtually next year, and encourage the legislature to convene virtually to receive these messages. My office will work with the necessary legislative staff to arrange the logistics of ensuring that my virtual addresses are delivered to your respective bodies as scheduled.
The State of the State address will be delivered at 7:00 p.m. on January 12, 2021. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 16.45, I respectfully request to deliver the budget message at 7:00 p.m. on February 16, 2021. This date will still be before the date granted to former Governor Scott Walker when he presented his second biennial budget to the Legislature, which occurred on February 20, 2013. Scheduling the budget message on February 16, 2021 will also ensure the Legislative Fiscal Bureau has time in January to review year-end economic activity in 2020 and the January 2021 economic forecast prior to issuing its updated general fund revenue and expenditure projections for the 2021-23 biennium. As has occurred in prior biennia, this date will also provide time to ensure that the budget I release is consistent with the Legislative Fiscal Bureau’s projections. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my chief of staff, Maggie Gau, with any questions in the interim. I hope you and your families have a happy and safe holiday season, and I look forward to working together and having a productive legislative session in the new year.
Sincerely,
TONY EVERS
Governor
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Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 13.172 (2) and (3), attached is the list of agency reports received from executive branch and legislative service agencies for the month of November, 2020.
Department of Health Services
Costs to Prevailing Parties
Pursuant to 227.485 (9), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 9, 2020.
Referred to the committee on Health and Human Services.
Department of Health Services
2020-21 Wisconsin Emergency Medical Services Plan
Pursuant to 256.08 (c), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 5, 2020.
Department of Administration
Quarterly Report for the Wisconsin Federal-State Relations Office
Pursuant to 16.548 (2), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 2, 2020.
Wisconsin Ethics Commission
Lobbyist Update
Pursuant to 13.685 (7), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 3, 2020.
Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Cleanup Program Report
Pursuant to 292.25 (2), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 4, 2020.
Department of Natural Resources
Great Lakes Compact Procedures Update
Pursuant to 14.95 (3m)(b), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 6, 2020.
Department of Administration
Badger Fund of Funds Annual Report
Pursuant to 16.295 (7)(b), Wis. Stat.
Received on November 10, 2020.
State of Wisconsin Claims Board
Claim heard on October 20, 2020
Pursuant to 16.007 and 775.05, Wis. Stats.
Received on November 9, 2020.
Department of Natural Resources
2020 Sustainability & Business Support Biennial Report
Pursuant to 299.83 (8)(h) and 299.85 (9m), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 11, 2020.
Referred to the committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
Department of Children and Families
Summary Reports
Pursuant to 48.981 (7)(cr)3.b., Wis. Stats.
Received on November 12, 2020.
Referred to the committee on Universities, Technical Colleges, Children and Families.
Legislative Audit Bureau
State Recycling Programs
Received on November 13, 2020.
Legislative Audit Bureau
Best Practices for Local Recycling Programs
Received on November 13, 2020.
State of Wisconsin Investment Board
2002 Q3 Charges to Funds Report
Pursuant to 25.17 (13m), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 13, 2020.
Wisconsin Ethics Commission
Lobbyist Update
Pursuant to 13.685 (7), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 17, 2020.
Department of Children and Families
Summary Reports
Pursuant to 48.981 (7)(cr)3.b., Wis. Stats.
Received on November 17, 2020.
Referred to the committee on Universities, Technical Colleges, Children and Families.
Shawano School District
2019-20 Charter School Authorizer Annual Report
Pursuant to 118.40 (3m)(f), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 18, 2020.
School District of Denmark
2019-20 Charter School Authorizer Annual Report
Pursuant to 118.40 (3m)(f), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 18, 2020.
D.C. Everest Area School District
2019-20 Charter School Authorizer Annual Report
Pursuant to 118.40 (3m)(f), Wis. Stats.
Received on November 19, 2020.
Oconto Unified School District
2019-20 Charter School Authorizer Annual Report
Pursuant to 118.40 (3m)(f), Wis. Stats.
