211 West, State Capitol
Madison, WI 53708
The Honorable Chris Kapenga
President-Elect of the Senate
220 South, State Capitol
Madison, WI 53707
Dear Assembly Speaker Vos and Senate President-Elect Kapenga:
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 days, 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 Wisconsinites, 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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State of the State Address
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Governor Tony Evers delivered his State of the State address virtually. Pursuant to Joint Rule 73, the governor’s message is printed in the Senate journal only. _____________
Calendar of Tuesday, January 12
Speaker Pro Tempore August in the chair.
Speaker Pro Tempore August introduced a privileged resolution.
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Introduction and Reference of Proposals
Relating to: honoring the service, leadership, and tenure of Robin Vos as Wisconsin's 75th and longest-serving Speaker of the Assembly.
By Representatives August and Steineke.
hist125931The question was: Shall Assembly Resolution 6 be adopted? Motion carried.
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Adjournment
Representative Steineke moved that the Assembly stand adjourned pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
The question was: Shall the Assembly stand adjourned?
Motion carried.
The Assembly stood adjourned.
7:49 P.M.
