Frederica Freyberg:

Governor Tony Evers delivers a virtual State of the State address during a week when COVID legislation moves from the Assembly to the Senate where Republicans modify the bill and frustrate party members in the lower house. Meanwhile, outside the Capitol windows boarded up under the threats of rioting by extreme Trump supporters.

I’m Frederica Freyberg. Tonight on “Here & Now,” Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu explains changes to the COVID bill sent over by the Assembly. Will extreme Trump supporters cause trouble this weekend at the state Capitol? The director of Dane County Emergency Management is here. He’ll tell why law enforcement is taking the threat of violence seriously. And Wisconsin needs more vaccine. The deputy secretary of Health Services will talk about how the state will get it? It’s “Here & Now” for January 15.

Announcer:

Funding for “Here & Now” is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

Tony Evers:

From our health care workers to our students, Wisconsinites have been stretched to the limit, making immeasurable sacrifices for neighbors, for our families, for our loved ones and I know so many are tired. Our statewide efforts to contain this virus were met with costly litigation and resistance nearly every step of the way.

Frederica Freyberg:

Governor Tony Evers from his State of the State address. The governor isn’t the only one at the Capitol feeling the resistance to COVID legislation. The COVID bill passed last week by the Assembly got a face lift in the Senate this week. Senators made changes seen by Speaker Robin Vos as more favorable to the Democrat governor than to Assembly Republicans.

Robin Vos:

Last year, we spent time negotiating with Governor Evers, again as he just mentioned. We did that with our Senate colleagues because we wanted to find common ground. It seems unfortunately some would think the only way to find common ground is to cave to the governor’s demands. We will continue to work to reach a consensus as equals, but we will never compromise our conservative ideals in the name of political expediency.