Wisconsin Attorney General Defends Governor's "Safer at Home" Order to the State Supreme Court
Wednesday, April 29th, 2020 -- 11:13 AM
(AP) -Attorney General Josh Kaul is telling the state Supreme Court that Gov. Tony Evers' administration has broad authority to issue a stay-at-home order to protect state residents from the coronavirus.Republican legislators asked the court earlier this month to block the stay-at-home order, arguing state Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm needed legislative approval before she issued it. Kaul filed a response with the court on the DHS' behalf late Tuesday afternoon. He argues state law clearly gives the executive branch broad authority to respond to public health emergencies. Conservatives control the court 5-2.
Kaul offered the following statement on the case: “This case is the latest chapter in legislative Republicans’ ongoing effort to grasp at power, without regard to the consequences. The Safer at Home policy and the steps that Wisconsinites have taken in response to the coronavirus outbreak have saved lives. The Legislature’s attempt to undermine critical public health measures ignores the law and endangers our safety.”
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