Contact: Senator Tom Tiffany
Phone: (608) 266-2509
Madison, Wis. — State Senator Tom Tiffany (R–Minocqua) released the following statement after the Wisconsin State Senate passed a bill Wednesday to provide relief and assistance to Wisconsinites during the current public health emergency:
“Given the importance of providing relief to Wisconsinites during these tough times, I traveled to the State Capitol today to cast my vote for this bill,” Senator Tiffany said. “As Wisconsinites are furloughed, laid off or had their businesses shut down because of the Governor’s emergency order, it was critical that we repeal the one-week waiting period for unemployment to help those displaced through no fault of their own. Furthermore, this bill bolsters efforts from President Trump to ensure our health care workers receive the help they need to care for the sick and vulnerable.”
Some highlights of the bill include:
- Ensuring Wisconsin will receive the entire $2 billion in federal assistance
- Repealing the one-week waiting period to receive state unemployment insurance
- Expanding SeniorCare to include vaccinations
- Prohibiting co-pays for COVID-19 testing
- Allowing pharmacists to extend prescriptions
- Easing license requirements for health care professional and emergency medical responders
- Prohibiting health care discrimination based on COVID-19
- Requiring the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to develop a plan to assist critical industries such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and forest products
- Setting aside $75 million to respond to COVID-19 for expenses not covered under the federal funding
- Qualifying Wisconsin for extra federal resources to help fund Medicaid
- Harmonizing state tax law deadlines with the new postponed federal deadlines
- Allowing local governments, after making general or case-by-case findings of hardship, to waive interest charges and penalties for a late property tax installment payment, as long as the full amount of the payment is received on or before October 1st
