Require the Governor to allocate $500,000 of the federal funds received by the state under ARPA to establish a grant program to counties for well testing and public education about water quality. The grants could either fund up to $10,000 per county to test and map privately owned wells or up to $2,500 per county to provide information to well owners and the general public about the results of a well testing and mapping effort. Counties would have to provide matching funds and report the results of any testing to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Center for Watershed Science and Education. I object to this bill and am vetoing it because it limits the ability to use federal funds with the flexibility necessary to confront the variety of challenges posed by recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic and respond to Wisconsin’s changing needs over the course of the pandemic and our recovery. In Wisconsin, the role of the Governor to oversee use of federal funds under s. 16.54, Wisconsin Statutes is clearly established and has been in place for decades, a fact that was confirmed by legislative leadership in a letter they sent to me in April 2020. Using this authority, I have already announced my plans to invest the new federal funds under ARPA to various economic recovery and well-being, infrastructure, and pandemic response initiatives. I will continue to utilize the authority provided to the Governor to oversee use of federal funds in a manner that is transparent and consistent with both Wisconsin’s needs and federal law. At the same time, I am however pleased to see that the Legislature has adopted many of the environmental protection and pollution remediation provisions that were included in my proposed 2021-23 biennial budget, even if I disagree with the source of the funding that the Legislature has selected in this particular bill. I look forward to working with the Legislature to include many of these items in the upcoming biennial budget.
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April 23, 2021
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
The following bills, originating in the Assembly, have been vetoed in their entirety, and were returned to their house of origin, together with the objections in writing:
Bill Number Date of Veto
Assembly Bill 23 April 23, 2021
Assembly Bill 24 April 23, 2021
hist132602I am vetoing Assembly Bill 23 in its entirety. This bill, as amended, would prohibit the Department of Health Services from requiring individuals to receive a vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and any variant or mutation of the SARSCoV-2 coronavirus. The bill would also prohibit local health officers from requiring individuals to receive a vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and any variant or mutation of the SARSCoV-2 coronavirus.
I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to the provisions of the bill that would take away existing tools available to state and local public health officials during a declared public health emergency. As I said in my Assembly Bill 1 veto message and will reiterate again today, our response to this pandemic should be about following the science and public health experts and working together to save as many lives as we can, not finding ways to make it harder to fight this virus or keep Wisconsinites safe.
I remain committed to doing everything I can to keep Wisconsinites healthy and safe, following the science and advice of public health experts, and putting people first.
hist132603I am vetoing Assembly Bill 24 in its entirety. This bill, as amended, would prohibit local health officers from taking 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. The bill would also specify that the statutory language shall not be construed to confer any authority on a local health officer to close or restrict capacity in places of worship or any other entities.
I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to the provisions of the bill that would take away existing tools available to state and local public health officials to prevent and suppress COVID-19. As I said in my Assembly Bill 1 veto message, our response to this pandemic should be about following the science and public health experts, not finding ways to make it harder to fight it. It should be about working together to save as many lives as we can.
I remain committed to doing everything I can to keep Wisconsinites healthy and safe, following the science and advice of public health experts, and putting people first.
Respectfully submitted,
Tony Evers
Governor
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Communications
April 21, 2021
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
hist132476Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 264, relating to compensation of election officials performing duties during a recount. Sincerely,
CHUCK WICHGERS
State Representative
83rd Assembly District
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April 21, 2021
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
hist132483Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 160, relating to transportation to a private school during the 2020-21 school year for pupils who reside in a first class city school district. Sincerely,
BARBARA DITTRICH
State Representative
38th Assembly District
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April 22, 2021
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
hist132527Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Joint Resolution 39, relating to proclaiming May 14, 15, and 16, 2021, Syttende Mai Weekend. hist132528Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Joint Resolution 43, relating to dedicating the second week of April to Black maternal health, formally known as Black Maternal Health Week, to acknowledge racial disparities among Black mothers and infants. hist132529Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 137, relating to prohibiting no-knock search warrants and limiting the execution of a search warrant to the hours between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Sincerely,
MARK SPREITZER
State Representative
45th Assembly District
_____________
April 23, 2021
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 193, relating to grants to prevent suicide by firearm and making an appropriation.
Sincerely,
TONY KURTZ
State Representative
50th Assembly District
_____________
April 23, 2021
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
hist132606Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 108, relating to law enforcement agency policies on the use of force. hist132607Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 109, relating to reporting of law enforcement use of force incidents. hist132608Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 110, relating to public access to policies regarding the use of force by law enforcement. Please add my name as a co-author of Assembly Bill 193, relating to grants to prevent suicide by firearm and making an appropriation.
Sincerely,
KRISTINA SHELTON
State Representative
90th Assembly District
