Wisconsin Legislature gavels in-and-out of Evers’ special session without taking any votes

(The Center Square) – It took less than one minute for Republican lawmakers in Madison to dismiss Gov. Tony Evers’ latest call to expand Medicaid.

The state Assembly spent about 40 seconds gaveling in-and-out of the governor’s special session Tuesday. It took the state Senate less than 10 seconds.

“I think we should be doing everything we can to make sure our economy bounces back from this pandemic, and this special session was about finding common ground and getting bipartisan support for our efforts,” Evers said in a statement after the quick exit. “Clearly, it’s disappointing Republicans don’t seem to take that responsibility seriously.”

There was never any real expectation that the Republicans who control the Legislature would take up a Medicaid expansion.

Republicans, health care watchdogs, and the Kaiser Family Foundation all say there is no gap of uninsured people in Wisconsin. Republican lawmakers also say expanding the state’s BadgerCare program would put Wisconsin on the hook for untold millions in future costs.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, told the governor last week that they would not hold any votes.

Evers and legislative Democrats say expanding BadgerCare would add 90,000 new people to the health care rolls and save the state $1.6 billion.

Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, questioned that promise of savings and said what Gov. Evers really wants is more money to spend.

“It’s still taxpayer money, and people keep forgetting,” Kapenga said Tuesday. “They think there’s a free money tree out in Washington. They’re still going into taxpayers’ pockets to get this.”

Kapenga said Wisconsin has $2.5 billion in federal stimulus that is mostly unspent.

Evers on Tuesday said Republicans are going to have to answer to voters as to why they turned the expansion down.

“[Republicans] will have to explain to Wisconsinites why they made the decision they did today,” he said.

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