Wisconsin to Join Minority of States With No Mask Mandate
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin will become one of only 10 states without statewide mask mandates when the Assembly votes this week to overturn Gov. Tony Evers’ order.
More than two dozen public health organizations, as well as state and local health officials, have urged the Republican-controlled Legislature to reconsider.
The vote to repeal the mask order, planned for Thursday, comes as Wisconsin lags in the distribution of the vaccine compared with other states.
State law gives the Legislature the power to overturn emergency orders issued by the governor, a move that does not require the governor’s approval to take effect.
The state Senate voted 18-13, with all Democrats and two Republicans against, to overturn the order on Tuesday. The Assembly scheduled a final vote on Thursday.
Even if Wisconsin’s statewide order goes away, Milwaukee and Dane Counties — the state’s two most populous counties — and cities including Green Bay, Beloit, Racine, Superior, and Whitewater have their own mask orders in place. Several rural counties have also enacted mask mandates.
Health officials have warned about the spread of contagious new variants of the virus and total deaths due to COVID-19 are nearing 6,000 in the state.
Wisconsin has had a statewide mask mandate in effect since August. The current Evers order is scheduled to run until March 20.
