Wisconsin State Senate Not Coming Back This Month for Virus Relief

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Senate won’t take up any COVID-19 relief measures before January, the incoming majority leader said Wednesday, even though Assembly Republicans have said they’re open to coming in this month and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has urged swift action before federal money runs out.

“We’re not coming back in December,” said Sen. Devin LeMahieu, who takes over as majority leader in January.

LeMahieu also told The Associated Press in an interview that he has not yet studied a wide-ranging package of coronavirus-related measures released late Tuesday by Assembly Republicans. The proposals put forward by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos were the first since the Legislature last met in April.

“Frankly, I haven’t had the chance to go through it very in depth yet,” said LeMahieu, of Oostburg. “It’s such a new document. I’m sure there are some good things in there we could take a look at.”