Amendment ASA1-AB24

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO ASSEMBLY BILL 24

March 9, 2021 - Offered by Representative Thiesfeldt.

AB24-ASA1,1,2 An Act to create 251.06 (5) of the statutes; relating to: closure of and forbidding gatherings in places of worship.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill prohibits local health officers from taking any actions to close or forbid gatherings in places of worship to control outbreaks and epidemics of the 2019 novel coronavirus or any variant or virus derived as a mutation from the 2019 novel coronavirus. Currently, local health officers have the statutory authority to do what is reasonable and necessary for the prevention and suppression of disease and forbid public gatherings when necessary to control outbreaks or epidemics, among other public health powers.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB24-ASA1,1 Section 1. 251.06 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

AB24-ASA1,2,2 251.06 (5) (a) Notwithstanding s. 252.03 (2), a local health officer may not take any action to close or forbid gatherings in places of worship to control outbreaks and epidemics of the 2019 novel coronavirus or any variant or virus derived as a mutation of the 2019 novel coronavirus.

AB24-ASA1,2,5 (b) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to confer any authority on a local health officer to close or restrict capacity in places of worship or any other entities.

AB24-ASA1,2,6 (End)