New Wisconsin-Specific Pandemic Resources
Last week, Wisconsin lawmakers passed a bill in response to the pandemic, a bill that hardly scratches the surface in addressing the needs of Wisconsin residents who need immediate assistance.
The bill allocates not a single dollar in new state funding. Unlike the legislation originally proposed by Governor Evers, the version passed by state legislators left out public health systems, food banks, health care and other essential workers, and didn't direct resources to communities that are being most impacted. We published side-by-side comparisons of what the Governor proposed and what the legislature actually passed, with regards to health care and public benefit programs. We also released a guide to insurance options for Wisconsin residents who have lost their health coverage.
The number of Wisconsin residents applying for unemployment benefits has skyrocketed, and a new expansion of federally-funded unemployment benefits means that many workers filing for unemployment benefits will have access to additional weeks of benefits and larger weekly checks. We explain how these expanded benefits can help jobless workers make ends meet.
State action isn't going to be enough to address the effects of the pandemic. We explain why Congress should pass additional legislation to assist those who were largely or entirely left out of the laws passed so far, and help prevent the economic harm from getting even worse — and should keep those measures in place until the economy has fully recovered.
We also highlighted how a group was singled out to have their stimulus checks reduced: parents who owe money to the government for child support. Evidence suggests that much of that debt is actually interest, that these are parents with very low-incomes and that they are disproportionately Black fathers.
For additional resources, visit our page devoted to COVID-19 resources, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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