Meanwhile, in Wisconsin,
the state GOP is planning to send teachers and state workers back to offices.
Some gems
" It was the first legislation introduced by Wisconsin Republicans since they passed a bipartisan COVID-19 bill in April. Since then, they've regularly fought with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers over his statewide mask mandates and restrictions on capacity at bars and restaurants. "
"Among other provisions, which were spelled out at length in
a memo from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the Assembly GOP plan would do the following when it comes to state workers and teachers:
- Require state government employees who have been working from home to resume working in-person beginning on Jan 31, 2021. This requirement wouldn't apply to University of Wisconsin System employees.
- Require teachers to be physically located in a school building when they are instructing students unless teachers provide schools with a doctor's note. The state would withhold funding to districts that don't comply.
- Require a two-thirds vote by local school boards to allow for virtual instruction. The board's approval would only last for 14 days, meaning it would have to vote again every two weeks in order to continue virtual instruction.
- Require school boards to pay parents $371 to each student's parent if they provide virtual instruction."
"
The Assembly GOP plan would also enact several restrictions on state and local governments when it comes to limiting crowds. It would:
- Restrict the power of local health officers from ordering the closure of a business unless it applies to all types of businesses. Similarly, a local health officer would be barred from restricting capacity at businesses unless those restrictions apply at all businesses.
- Prohibit state and local health departments from prohibiting gatherings in churches."
And probably the most blatant power grab by the GOP-
"
The Legislature's budget committee, which is run by Republicans, would also gain several new powers. The proposal would:
- Give the Legislature's budget committee the power to transfer up to $100 million from other parts of the budget to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Require the state Department of Health Services to submit a plan for distributing COVID-19 vaccines to the Legislature's budget committee, and give the budget committee the power to block the plan.
- Give the Legislature's budget committee oversight of federal COVID-19 funds. The governor had broad oversight over the state's share of the first federal COVID-19 bill."
There's a whole lot more bullshit in there as well. It's amazing how much they are doubling down after the disaster of Trump, and how much worse this pandemic is here because of their stupid efforts.
