Wisconsin bill would limit emergency powers for local government executives

(The Center Square) – A bill that would limit local executive emergency proclamations to 60 days was heard in Wisconsin committee this week.

The bill aimed to match the limitation of power to a state law limiting the Wisconsin governor to 60 days of emergency powers before the Legislature must approve an extension.

Representative Brent Jacobson, R – Mosinee, is sponsoring Assembly Bill 306 and said that it “makes sure power cannot be concentrated.”

Like the state law, this law was created after emergency powers were used during the COVID-19 pandemic to install rules.

“The COVID 19 pandemic exposed many flaws in our emergency response procedures,” Jacobson said. “It is vital that we learn from the mishandling and mistakes, and implement changes now, or else we will continue to see these same mistakes and abuses happen in the future.”