Tavern League of Wisconsin: Bars can "open immediately" after Supreme Court ruling

Shortly after the State Supreme Court blocked the extended 'Safer at Home' order, the Tavern League of Wisconsin

saying Wisconsin bars can "open immediately."

The powerful trade association also encouraged bar owners to follow

guidelines as well information on the league's website.

"Thank god we've got an opportunity to survive. And that's really the reaction I've heard from a lot of our members, is we have an opportunity now to dig out of this economic canyon that we've been in. We're not going to go back to normal, probably, for a couple of years. The utmost importance for us is the safety of our customers and our employees," Scott Stenger, Tavern League of Wisconsin said.

However, soon after the decision was handed down, Public Health Madison & Dane County

declaring health officials would use its own authority to issue an order that implements portions of the now-defunct Safer at Home order. That order does in fact restrict the opening of bars in Dane County.

Tavern League Executive Director Pete Madland too confirmed to NBC15 News several hours after the ruling that the

On Wednesday afternoon, the

ruling that his administration overstepped its authority when it extended the mandate for another month without consulting legislators.

The 4-3 ruling marks a defeat for Evers as Republican legislators, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and with the aid of the conservative-controlled high court, continue to chip away at the Democratic governor’s powers.

Evers issued a stay-at-home order in March that closed schools and nonessential businesses. The closures battered the state economy, but Evers argued they were necessary to slow the virus’ spread. The order was supposed to lift April 24, but Health and Human Services Secretary Andrea Palm, an Evers appointee, extended it to May 26.