BREAKING: @SpeakerVos is releasing "new legislative initiatives to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and assist Wisconsinites during these challenging times" at a 2 p.m. press conference in the state Capitol.
@SpeakerVos This is the first possible legislative action in Wisconsin on COVID-19 since April.
More BREAKING: @GovEvers has released a new COVID-19 legislative proposal, too.
Some measures it contains: Allow those out of work to immediately claim unemployment benefits, suspending for another year a requirement that forces people to wait a week before receiving benefits.
@GovEvers -Continue to suspend a requirement that the unemployed search for work to receive benefits.
-Bar evictions and foreclosures through the end of 2021.
@GovEvers - Require insurers to cover COVID-19 testing, treatment, prescriptions and vaccines.
- Insurers would be blocked from requiring their recipients to pay a share of those costs or to receive prior authorization before obtaining those services.
- Health care workers and other critical workers would automatically receive worker’s compensation benefits if they contract COVID-19 under another measure
- Suspend for another year standardized testing and school report cards
.@GovEvers gave GOP leaders the legislation last evening.
"Following that briefing, it is our expectation your offices will have the needed conversations with your caucuses and leaders will come ready to discuss and finalize the bill with the (guv) on Friday," leg liaison wrote
@GovEvers "On Friday, we would like to know what the two leaders are or are not supportive of and any other ideas you would like to see included in the legislation," he wrote
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.@SpeakerVos says Assembly Republicans are not introducing bills, but publicly proposing ideas including doubling the number of contract tracers in Wisconsin.
Some local health departments have abandoned tracing efforts beyond positive cases because of the surge in cases.
@SpeakerVos Vos says Republican lawmakers don't have any bills drafted.
@SpeakerVos Vos says "nobody cares" when Republican lawmakers who control the Legislature are meeting with the governor about legislation to address the pandemic.
@bschoenburg@DougFinkeSJR "Finke has been as rumpled as Schoenburg is dapper, wearing a sport coat almost grudgingly, it seemed, as if in sartorial surrender to statehouse rules setting minimum standards," @brushtoniltimes writes
This leaves the daily newspaper in the Illinois capital city with TWO news reporters, according to the paper's staff page.
4,389 new cases -- 70,205 active infections
12 new deaths
178 new hospitalizations, for a total of 2,274 patients
77% of cases have recovered since March
Seven-day average percentage of positive tests by person: 36.4% and by test: 17.9%
456 patients are in ICUs. 168 beds are available out of 1,466.
Department of Health Services chief medical officer Ryan Westergaard in briefing with @WiHealthNews says Wisconsin is approaching a "tipping point" when hospitals are not able to save everyone who becomes ill.
@WiHealthNews Westergaard says Wisconsin lost control of the outbreak over the summer.
He says a big issue has been predominantly asymptomatic people who aren't limiting interaction with other people.
@WiHealthNews Wisconsin Hospitals Association's Eric Borgerding says staffing in hospitals are "stressed."
"Not only are we seeing demand ... just almost going at a vertical pace, truly, but it's coming at a time when our capacity to treat that demand is becoming more and more diminished."
Mark Kaufman, chief medical officer for the Wisconsin Health Association, is giving WMC members an overview on how terrible the coronavirus pandemic is in Wisconsin.
Points of evidence: Graphs showing hospitalizations include curves that are nearly vertical.
Kaufman says many Wisconsin hospitals are at peak capacity and have activated "contingency plans."
"So, Wisconsin hospitals are struggling," Kaufman says.
In a release, @GovEvers says tonight's speech "will call for unity and working together in response to the COVID-19 pandemic."
@GovEvers Evers: "I am concerned about what our current trajectory means for Wisconsin healthcare workers, families, and our economy if we don’t get this virus under control."
@GovEvers "So, I want to be clear tonight: each day this virus goes unchecked is a setback for our economic recovery.
Our bars, restaurants, small businesses, families, and farmers will continue to suffer if we don’t take action right now."