The Assembly minority leader says he is confident governor Tony Evers’ administration was acting within their authority when issuing a Stay at Home order to protect state residents from the coronavirus. Republican legislators asked the state Supreme Court to block the order, arguing the state Department of Health Services secretary needed legislative approval. Assembly Democratic leader Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh says he agrees with attorney general Josh Kaul, who argues state law gives the executive branch broad authority to respond to public health emergencies. “We’ve seen the Supreme Court use the same justification statewide as it pertains to jury trials. We are in unique circumstances, but the statute I think is pretty clear,” Hintz told WFDL news. Hintz says what is unclear is what happens when the governor’s Public Health Emergency expires May 11. “The 60 day order ends, it can’t be renewed as it is but there could be a new declaration made,” Hintz said. “This is going to be with us for a while and I think it’s important the governor’s office has the flexibility and the tools to be able to effectively manage these things, but there are questions about what happens going forward.” Senate Republican leader Scott Fitzgerald says Republican lawmakers want the governor to reopen the economy now. “The revenue stream, sales tax, income tax, corporate tax are all drying up right now,” Fitzgerald told WFDL news. “It’s going to put the state in a tough spot that if we don’t gradually start to open up parts of society again we don’t know where we are going to be at six months from now.”
