My maps that I’m signing today are fair, responsive, and reflect the will of the people.

And this is so important, Wisconsin, so I want to explain what that means. 🧵 First, these maps are fair. We’re aiming to make sure each party has a fair shake at winning the Legislature. Under these maps, it’s more likely that each party will win a majority of legislative seats when they earn a majority of your votes. That’s common sense.

With a historic $7 billion surplus, we have a historic responsibility and opportunity to invest in needs that have long been neglected and build the future we want for our state. Today, Republicans are rejecting more than 540 priorities for Wisconsin, including: 1️⃣ Expanding Paid Family Leave
Our budget would’ve provided most private-sector workers in Wisconsin paid family and medical leave for 12 weeks and expanded eligibility to ensure parents and families had the flexibility to meet their personal, family members’, or kids’ needs.

BREAKING: Today, Democrats are announcing a new effort to put an advisory referendum on the ballot this April to ensure the people of Wisconsin can weigh in on whether Wisconsin should overturn our 1800s-era criminal abortion ban and restore #Roe. 🧵 I know where Wisconsinites stand on this issue. Everyone in the State Capitol knows where Wisconsinites stand on this issue. Wisconsinites overwhelmingly support #Roe and safe, legal access to abortion. That's a statement supported by data—it's not up for debate.

If legislators want to have real conversations about our kids’ achievement, they can start by fully funding our schools and making sure our kids can bring their full and best selves to the classroom. Our kids shouldn't just be getting by—they should be able to get ahead. #WISOTS A kid in crisis isn’t going to be able to pay attention at school, finish their homework, or engage with their friends or teachers. That's why I'm announcing our #GetKidsAhead initiative to invest $15 million in additional mental health services to help support our kids.

Last month, I announced my plan to use our state's $3.8 billion surplus to help address rising costs, reduce barriers to work, and invest in education at every level, and tonight, I'm announcing I'll be calling a Special Session of the Legislature to pass that plan. #WISOTS I know others want to leave your money in Madison until next summer while inflation is the highest it's been in 40 years.

Well, that won't help Wisconsin families buy groceries or gas, pay for childcare, heat their homes, or put food on the table today. Wisconsinites can’t wait.

BREAKING: Today, on Indigenous Peoples Day, I'm signing an executive order to formally recognize and apologize for the tragedies inflicted upon Native American families and communities at boarding schools in Wisconsin and across the U.S. As a state, we share responsibility and have a moral obligation to pursue the truth and to bring these injustices to light in Wisconsin and our country because that understanding and acknowledgment is essential for accountability and healing.

About four years ago, Wisconsin announced an agreement with Foxconn and one of the largest subsidies for a foreign corporation in American history. In many ways, that deal has fallen short of the promises that were made. And I've been as critical of this agreement as anyone else. Well, when I ran for governor, I promised I'd work with Foxconn to cut a better deal.

Wisconsin taxpayers have spent hundreds of millions on infrastructure investments, people were forced to leave their homes, and assurances were made to communities across our state.

Our state’s unemployment system is outdated and ineffective. Wisconsinites deserve better, but the Legislature has ignored my call for a special session to fix our broken UI system, once again kicking the can down the road. Here's why we desperately need to update our UI system⬇️ Our UI system isn't quite as old as I am, but it has been around since about when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. It’s 2021. We’ve got to update and modernize our system, and that will require a serious overhaul.

The ability to exercise First Amendment rights is a critically important part of our democracy and the pursuit of justice. But there remains a line between peaceful assembly and what we saw last night that put individuals, families, and businesses in danger. We cannot forget the reason why these protests began, and what we have seen play out over the last two nights and many nights this year is the pain, anguish, and exhaustion of being Black in our state and country.

Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries. While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.

I believe, and Wisconsinites do, too, that the people should get to choose their elected officials, not the other way around. When I ran for governor, I promised I would lead the fight for fair, nonpartisan maps, and by golly, we’re going to make good on that promise. When members of the Legislature can ignore an overwhelming majority of the people of our state who support commonsense things like nonpartisan redistricting, Medicaid expansion, and funding our public schools, folks, something’s wrong.

What happened in Madison last night presented a stark contrast from the peaceful protests we have seen across our state in recent weeks, including significant damage to state property. I want to be clear: violence against any person—whether in the middle of the street in broad daylight, at home trying to sleep, going for a run, or happening upon a protest as was the case last night—is wrong. It should never be tolerated.

ICYMI: Last week we announced our robust $1 billion plan to box in #COVID19 across Wisconsin, focusing on testing, contact tracing, operations, and resources for local communities. #Thread This plan includes a $260 million investment in testing efforts to ensure that everyone who needs a test, gets a test.

Up to now, we were in a pretty good place in our battle against #COVID19. We had reached almost all our gating criteria. We had opened up small businesses across the state, putting folks back to work, and that was because of the good work of Wisconsinites across our state. From keeping our kids home from school to staying safer at home, we cannot let today’s Supreme Court ruling undo all the work we have done and all the sacrifices Wisconsinites have made over these past few months.

No one wants to see our economy gain momentum as much as I do, and we're working to do everything we can to make sure we can do so as soon as we safely and responsibly can. #Thread That's why today we announced Emergency Order #34 that, coupled with our #SaferAtHome order that went into effect last week, turns the dial another notch by allowing non-essential businesses to do more than they were able to do before. Available here: content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV…

Republicans are exploiting a global pandemic to further their attempts to undermine the will of the people. But what’s at stake goes far beyond political power--lives are on the line. #THREAD Today, Republicans in the Legislature filed a lawsuit to effectively strike down our #SaferAtHome order and cripple our ability to respond to a pandemic that has already taken the lives of 242 people in our state.

Today we announced our Badger Bounce Back plan. This plan takes the steps Wisconsin needs to take to decrease #COVID19 cases and deaths and increase capacity in our healthcare system so that a phased reopening of businesses is possible and we can get people back to work. #Thread In order to turn the dial on Safer at Home and supercharge the Badger Bounce Back, we must:
➡️Access more testing and labs
➡️Expand contact tracing
➡️Aggressively track the spread
➡️Access more #PPE and supplies
➡️Increase healthcare system capacity

A few weeks ago, we had a pretty grim outlook for what COVID-19 could mean for our state, but safer at home is working, folks. Our data shows we have saved lives and we have helped flatten the curve, which has resulted in fewer cases and hospitalizations. #THREAD But as I’ve said all along, we are going to rely on the science and public health experts to help guide us through these challenges, because at the end of the day, our bottom line is keeping people safe. And we’re not out of the woods just yet.

In the absence of legislative action, today I signed Executive order #74 suspending in-person voting for the April 7 spring election until June 9, 2020. I had hoped that the Legislature work do its part—just as the rest of us are—to help keep people health and safe, but as municipalities are consolidating polling locations, I cannot in good conscience stand by and do nothing.

Folks, today I’m announcing that I signed an Executive Order calling the Legislature to meet in Special Session tomorrow, Saturday, April 4th at 4:00 p.m. to take up changes to the upcoming spring election.

facebook.com/35955491146063… I’m asking the Legislature to take up legislation allowing an all-mail election, to send a ballot to every registered voter who has not already requested one by May 19, and to extend the time for those ballots to be received to May 26.

THREAD: Expanding Wisconsin’s testing capacity is a critical step in ensuring the health and safety of Wisconsinites. That’s why today we announced a new public-private partnership to increase Wisconsin's laboratory testing capacity for COVID-19. 1/8 The Wisconsin Clinical Lab Network labs have been averaging completion of 1,500-2,000 COVID-19 tests per day. The expanded capacity from the state’s new partnership is expected to double that capacity initially and continue to expand. 2/8