Republican leaders in the state Legislature today filed a lawsuit before the Wisconsin Supreme Court seeking a stay of the state’s “Safer at Home” order extension to May 26.
The lawsuit comes just five days after Gov. Tony Evers announced the extension of the stay-at-home order, and in a week where protests against the shut-down have been occurring around the state and one is scheduled for Friday at the state Capitol. The case takes exception to the fact that the state order not only applies to cities with more COVID-19 cases, but includes rural counties with few or no cases.
It also maintains that Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm exceeded her authority in issuing the new directive, at Evers’ direction. She issued the order last Thursday extending the stay-at-home order from April 24 until May 26, closing schools for the academic year and most nonessential businesses. The extension gives Wisconsin the latest stay-at-home order date in the Midwest and one of the latest in the country.
“Purporting to act under color of State law, an unelected, unconfirmed cabinet secretary has laid claims to a suite of czar-like powers – unlimited in scope and indefinite in duration – over the people of Wisconsin,” the filing Wis. Legislature v. Andrea Palm states.
