I want to thank my Racine County constituents who have been reaching out to my office to let me know their thoughts on the Safer at Home extension that currently runs through May 26. As you might expect, frustrations are running high. Many people would like to see a safe reopening of the state sooner rather than later. I asked the Wisconsin State Assembly Committee on State Affairs to explore reopening options by holding an informational hearing. Thursday's hearing included discussions with WEDC CEO and Secretary-designee Missy Hughes, Executive Vice President of the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce Scott Manley, a UW Madison economist, an emergency room physician and representatives from Wisconsin's major industries. It proved to be a productive conversation that I invite you to watch on WisconsinEye.

This hearing was an opportunity to begin bipartisan discussions on developing a gradual and safe plan to reopen the economy. I look forward to working with the governor, health experts and business owners to help the state recover from these difficult times.