Sen. Larson statement on adopted COVID-19 legislation

Madison, WI – “The legislation adopted in the Wisconsin State Senate today to address the COVID-19 pandemic is too little, too late, and also deeply flawed. The bottom line is that it is an insult to the people of Wisconsin who have been begging for the legislature to act for nearly 9 months. If this pandemic is a wildfire that’s been raging out of control for 9 months, then this bill is a single bucket of muddy water, which utterly fails to meet the moment we are in. If history is any guide, this was likely our only chance to make things right.

“Businesses are struggling all across our state, families are finding it harder to put food on the table, and over 5,200 of our Wisconsin neighbors have died. We need to expand access to healthcare, support our medical professionals, ensure certainty and safety to our schools, and provide relief to small businesses.

“Instead, we’re offering immunity to bad actors who don’t take the pandemic seriously enough, and forcing skilled nursing facilities to accept visitors when their populations are among the most vulnerable to this virus.

“I applaud the work of Governor Evers over these past few months to find common ground with a legislative majority that has fought him every step of the way in the fight against COVID-19. Unfortunately, Republicans don’t seem to understand the seriousness of this disease, or the significant role the state government can play to improve the lives of its citizens, if it only showed the will to act that is so desperately needed at this time.

“The people of Wisconsin have their work cut out for them to get to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, with today’s Senate action, we have ensured that work is going to take even longer to complete. Denied the opportunity to record my objection to the final bill, which passed by voice vote, I voted ‘no’ on the final amendment to make it clear this was not the legislation our Wisconsin neighbors needed or deserved.”