Wisconsin Supreme Court rules against governor’s mask mandate, emergency orders

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Gov. Tony Evers (D) exceeded his authority with some of his COVID-19 emergency orders, including instituting a statewide mask mandate.

In a 4-3 decision, the court struck down two of Evers’s executive orders issued last year that extended the public health emergency beyond its original 60-day limit without legislative approval.

“The question in this case is not whether the Governor acted wisely; it is whether he acted lawfully,” the ruling said. “We conclude he did not.”

Evers’s response: “Our fight against COVID-19 isn’t over – while we work to get folks vaccinated as quickly as we can, we know wearing a mask saves lives, and we still need Wisconsinites to mask up so we can beat this virus and bounce back from this pandemic,” Evers said in a statement.

Another loss for the governor: Evers and Republicans in the state have feuded over the governor’s powers during the pandemic. Last year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled against his “safer at home” order, and a state appeals court determined his restrictions on indoor dining could not be implemented.