Wednesday, January 13, 2021

TIP FOR VIEWING ON MOBILE DEVICES:
TURN YOUR DEVICE TO LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION.

THANK YOU--AND AN UPDATE!

Yesterday we sent out two rush emails when we learned about the State Senate going to the floor in just hours to vote on a bill that did not include language on at least two important issues--language that had been included in the Assembly version of the bill, AB 1. The two issues were
1) limiting the authority of the state (in particular the Department of Health Services) and/or local health officials from closing places of worship and/or limiting capacity during COVID-19, and 2) prohibiting employers, the Department of Health Services, and local health authorities from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine. 

We urged you to contact your state senator immediately and ask them to vote no on the Senate's version of the bill because these two issues were not included. We know you did as we asked, because we have heard from numerous senate offices saying their phones were very busy yesterday!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Those calls are so very important!  One strategic senate office told me this morning that while their phones were very busy yesterday, they found the callers to be extremely polite. In fact, the staffer told me the callers were nice and courteous. This staffer was incredibly impressed. In case you don't think how you speak to a legislator matters, well, here's proof that it does. Thank you for calling and thank you for doing so with grace and civility. You have definitely made a difference. It is so true that for Christians, we must think bigger, look higher and expect more--of ourselves especially!

All that said, the Senate yesterday passed the Substitute Amendment to Assembly Bill 1 WITHOUT amending it to put back in the language related to the two issues I've noted: vaccine mandate and protections for places of worship. The measure passed with just two senators objecting: Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) and Senator Chris Larsen (D-Milwaukee). I knew when all but 1 Democrat supported this measure what had happened. The Senate had made a calculation that the governor would veto the bill as passed by the Assembly. Senate members especially wanted liability protections for businesses, schools, churches, etc. so that people cannot sue them for getting COVID because they were in their place of business or at an event sponsored by the entity. That liability protection was the central part of the Senate Substitute Amendment, and Senate leadership had received word that the Governor would sign that bill. As a result, the Senate made the decision to pass the bill as they had amended it.  Now it goes back to the Assembly for final concurrence and then to the governor for signing.

So what about our very real concerns for not having the vaccine mandated and making sure places of worship aren't forced to close or to limit capacity? 

As you can imagine, I was talking to senators yesterday about this. Immediately after the vote, I talked with a senator who said our concerns were going to be put into stand-alone bills and that these bills would be in circulation soon. I can confirm that this is true--and will give you the specifics as soon as the information is made public. The bills will need a significant number of co-sponsors, and we will be asking for your help to make that happen. Then, once they are introduced and assigned bill numbers and committees, public hearings will happen. We will let you know about those as well. The bills use the exact same language as what was in the Assembly's original bill. 

I'm encouraged by all this. I'm heartened that the new senate leadership, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) and Senate President Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield), are listening to constituents and to us as an organization. We definitely need to hold our elected officials accountable, and I can assure you we will do everything we can to see that these standalone bills pass and go to the governor, even though he may and likely will veto them. I say let him veto them; November 2022 will be here faster than any of us realize (that's when we elect a new governor). 

In the meantime, I urge you to stay informed and involved. We will keep you updated on these bills and many others (some pro-life bills are already in the works) as we go through this legislative session. Your voice is unbelievably important. Elected officials do listen. I can't say for sure that we wouldn't be talking about standalone bills for the vaccine mandate and protections for places of worship if we hadn't put some pressure on senators, but your calls definitely made sure they will be a reality.

THANK YOU--and God bless you!

Julaine Appling, President
Wisconsin Family Action