Wisconsin Republicans propose exempting churches from governor’s emergency orders

18 July 2023

Wisconsin State Senator Cory Tomczyk (R-29th District) proposed a constitutional amendment to establish "the freedom to gather in places of worship during a state of emergency" during a hearing on Tuesday.

Senate Joint Resolution 54 "provides that the state or a political subdivision of the state may not
order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state
of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to
public health."

Tomczyk and his colleagues believe that Governor Tony Evers (D) overstepped his authority when he banned public gatherings during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also called for Evers to be removed from office.

"When it comes to my Wisconsin and American right to worship and the manner I want to, I don't give a damn what the governor says," Tomczyk said. "And anytime that we can strengthen those rights, we should do it. Again, we should provide confidence that people, that their right is protected, and not let somebody interrupt the church service for God's sake. It drives me batty that we had to do, go through that."

The bill's cosponsor in the Assembly, State Representative Ty Bodden (R-59th District), added, "To kind of piggyback off the senator's point, this wasn't a Repub — Republicans and Democratic governors across the country shut down churches. It wasn't just one side or the other."

State Senator André Jacque (R-District 1), the chair of the Committee on Licensing, Constitution, and Federalism asked Tomczyk if he "would be supportive of a statutory change that would maybe make it clear, not, not just the complete closure, but certain measures that would unconstitutionally restrict, potentially..."

Bodden interrupted, "Well, I'd have, I'd have to see."

Jacque continued, "No, I understand. Right. This would have, this is..."

Tomczyk interjected, "That's a fairly ambiguous statement."

Jacque added, "No, no. I guess the argument is simply that if we have constitutional rights that already aren't being respected, you know, what do we need to do as a legislature?"

Tomczyk suggested that "maybe the next bill we bring is to you know, remove those from power who's trampled on those rights."

Watch the clip below via Heartland Signal or at this link.

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