MADISON (WKOW) -- The Republican majority in the state Senate voted Tuesday to end the statewide emergency order that included a mask mandate.
By a vote of 18 to 13, the Senate approved a joint resolution repealing the emergency declaration that allowed the governor to issue the mask mandate. The measure will need to also pass the Assembly, which can vote as early as Thursday to strike down the order.
All Democrats and two Republicans voted against repealing the mask mandate.
Since this is a joint resolution, Governor Tony Evers is not able to veto the measure nor is his signature needed for its approval.
Republicans in a lengthy floor session said their vote was not intended to be a referendum on the effectiveness of masks, but rather, a move to stop Evers from acting on his own to extend his emergency order every 60 days, which Evers had done since announcing the initial order in August 2020.
"This is not about whether face masks are good or bad," said Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater). "This is about repeatedly issuing emergency orders contrary to what the law allows."
21 different organizationsregistered in oppositionto the resolution; most of those were in the health care field, including the Wisconsin Medical Society, Wisconsin Hospital Association, and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Democratic senators said they feared the resolution would only further embolden people who have chosen not to wear masks. They said it flew in the face of what the state's public health organizations have said throughout the pandemic.
"If you go to your doctor and you doctor says 'look Jon, you know, you really better knock this fried food off, it's getting to you', I'm gonna listen to my doctor." said Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D - West Point). "It's not any different than a doctor telling you to wear a mask."
Some Democrats said they were concerned ending the emergency order would also lead to people potentially facing intimidation or repercussions at their job for choosing to wear a mask.
"You're helping protect people who might be in a circumstance, like a workplace, where they want to wear a mask but it's being discouraged or they're being prevented from doing it by a boss," said Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison). "This gives them the ability to say 'no, I need to wear a mask.'"
Some Republican senators indicated accepting the word of health care organizations and experts was a decision best left to individuals and not lawmakers.
"Vague references to 'following the science' are simply an appeal to authority," said Sen. Duey Stroebel (R - Cedarburg).
Two Republicans, Sen. Rob Cowles (R - Green Bay) and Dale Kooyenga (R - Brookfield) voted against the resolution.
Even if the statewide mask mandate is repealed, Dane County has its own mask mandate that will remain in place.
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