Governor Evers to issue mask mandate across Wisconsin

READ: The new executive order issued by Governor Evers mandating use of masks

Update: 2:40 p.m.

Republican Speaker Robin Vos has spoken out against the Democratic Governor’s statewide mask mandate.

I have previously stated my support for local efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus and do not favor a statewide mandate. It’s disappointing that yet again Gov. Evers has chosen to not communicate or work with the legislature. #wisconsin
https://t.co/PLOivlXTbE

— Speaker Robin Vos (@SpeakerVos) July 30, 2020

Original story with news conference video:

The Governor of Wisconsin says he will mandate that all people wear masks when indoors and not with someone from their household, under a new executive order.

Governor Tony Evers says the move, part of a newly-declared public health emergency, will go into effect on Saturday at 12:01 a.m. and expires on September 28, unless another order supersedes it.

The new order gives exceptions for eating, drinking or swimming, or if people have conditions or disabilities precluding the safe wearing of masks.

The move is an effort to reverse the trend of higher coronavirus cases in Wisconsin this month.

The state’s COVID-19 new positive test caseload rose from an average of 556 between July 1-7 to 938 new cases between July 22-26.

“While our local health departments have been doing a heck of a job responding to this pandemic in our communities, the fact of the matter is, this virus doesn’t care about any town, city, or county boundary, and we need a statewide approach to get Wisconsin back on track,” said Gov. Evers.

“We’ve said all along that we’re going to let science and public health experts be our guide in responding to this pandemic, and we know that masks and face coverings will save lives. While I know emotions are high when it comes to wearing face coverings in public, my job as governor is to put people first and to do what’s best for the people of our state, so that’s what I am going to do.”

The Supreme Court voted 4-3 against Gov. Evers’ previous Safer-at-Home directive back in May.

State Supreme Court Justice-Elect Jill Karofsky will take up her new role on the Wisconsin Supreme Court on August 1, replacing justice Dan Kelly who voted against the Safer-at-Home order.