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Official Government
Communication
Week of Jan. 29th - Feb. 2nd
Dear
Friend,
There is a lot
happening at the State Capitol and it is my hope that this email will
help you stay in touch with your government. As your Senator, I truly
believe in public service. If there is anything my office can do to
assist you, please feel free to contact us.
Here to
serve,
Sen. Lena
Taylor
4th
District
Taylor
Introduces HOPELINE BILL
 On Monday, I was happy to introduce
a bill with bipartisan support that will provide funding for the Center
for Suicide Awareness to operate HOPELINE, a service that provides
immediate emotional support and resources for those experiencing a
crisis. HOPELINE is available statewide, 24/7, every day of the year, at
no cost. A terrifying and little known statistic is that the teen suicide
rate in Wisconsin was above the national average every year but one from
2005 to 2015, and the rate for teens doubled between 2007 and 2015.
Veterans are also particularly at risk, account for 19% among Wisconsin
residents 18 and over from 2007 to 2011. Considering these facts, I
believe it is more important than ever to introduce legislation aimed at
offering support to those who are fighting a difficult battle. This bill
will help fund a critical, accessible service so that the Center for
Suicide Awareness can continue to address this devastating issue. The
bill is supported by Mental Health America of Wisconsin, National
Alliance on Mental Illness – Wisconsin, Wisconsin Council on Mental
Health, Disability Rights Wisconsin, Wisconsin Family Ties, and Reentry
Associates LLC. I look forward to seeing this bill passed swiftly so that
we can provide help for those in need.
Judiciary
Passes Three Taylor Bills
 On Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee
passed three bills that I co-authored: SB 403, SB 446 and SB 615. SB 403
is associated with modifying the responsibilities of the Law Enforcement
Standards Board, which currently oversees the certification of law
enforcement training standards. SB 446 relates to plans for bringing the
community closer to the process of deciding where persons convicted of
sex crimes, whom a judge has ruled should be given community supervision,
may live. SB 615 relates to the granting of certificates of qualification
for employment for persons convicted of crimes. All three bills are meant
to ensure that our judicial system is fair and equal for all individuals,
while maintaining the highest standard of public safety.
Specifically, SB 403 is of
great importance to me. Under this bill, the Law Enforcement Standards
Board would also take on regulating the training standards of jail and
juvenile detention officers, as well as recruitment standards. I
co-authored SB 403 to make sure all individuals working within the
detention facilities are kept safe. In light of the crisis at Lincoln
Hills, I want to further make sure that these standards become a
priority. It is important to ensure that those working in correctional
institutions are provided training that allows them to respond to
situations in a manner that respects the safety and dignity of both
parties in a correctional institution.
State
of the Union
 On
Tuesday night, President Trump gave the first State of the Union address
of his presidency. Throughout the speech, Trump continuously praised
individuals who have accomplished extraordinary tasks in the year that he
has been president, as well as those whose businesses have been doing
well. Yet, the President minimally addressed his own plans for the
country or the state of the union, choosing instead to taut his very
short list of barely accomplished campaign promises as if they were the
greatest achievements in presidential history.
When
Woodrow Wilson gave the first annual presidential address known as the
State of the Union in 1914, he set a precedent that has become a presidential
institution: to use the constitutionally mandated speech to Congress to
reflect on the past year and lay out an ambitious agenda for the next
one. President Trump’s address, in keeping with his typical hyperbolic
and egotistical style, praised his immigration and tax policies while
staying mute on the investigation into his administration’s inner-circle.
Sadly, he then went on to highlight his accomplishments in taking the
fight to ISIS and declared it his sacred duty to protect the American
people, and followed with an indirect attack on the Dreamers in this
country—highlighting his narrow definition of American people.
Furthermore,
President Trump falsely claimed his administration is responsible for
decreasing the African-American unemployment rate in our country. He
neglected to recognize the low rate cited today is the result of the
proactive policies of the Obama administration, coupled with a strong job
market. Instead, he chose to shamelessly ride President Obama’s
coattails, instead of acknowledging his limited role in a policy area he
has shown little interest devoting meaningful attention to. While I
appreciate the numerous men and women Trump recognized in his speech,
what I would appreciate more is a presidential address that could be less
about the individual and more about the State of the Union.
Lottery
Meeting
 This week, I was able to start a
dialogue with stakeholders in the Hmong community and relevant officials
regarding the disproportionate rate at which problem gambling effects the
Hmong community. I circled with our lottery administrator, the Hmong
Chamber of Commerce, the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling, and Nyob Zoo TV to discuss next steps in assuring that
the Hmong community is not forgotten, as we allocated state resources to
address this issue.
The notably
disproportionate impact problem-gambling has on the Hmong community first
came to my attention during the summer budget process. I noticed that
funds were allocated in the state budget to addressing the issue of
problem gambling, but the money was not reaching the communities most
affected. There is a large and growing body of academic research that
supports, due to a vast array of different factors, there being
significantly higher percentages of certain Asian American ethnicities
affected by pathological gambling (for example, being targeted by
advertisements for casinos and online gambling sites). While reviewing
how funding was allocated and in talks with community stakeholders, we
found funding for Public Service Announcements and other preventative
measures were not reaching minority communities to the degree that they
should be. As with any other issue in which government can play a role in
the community, I believe it is especially important to ensure we do not
leave minority groups behind. That is why I was excited to discuss next
steps, possible community partners, and how the budget used as a tool to
alleviate this issue in the Hmong community.
Taylor
to Address NBLSA
 I am honored to be the keynote
speaker at the Midwest Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) Midwest
Regional Convention this weekend in St. Louis. The NBLSA looks to promote
a positive, reciprocal relationship between black law students and the
American legal structure. The five day convention includes a number of
events such as community service, discussions on current events and
topics, mock trials, and will culminate with the Black Excellence Awards
Gala. It is exciting to have the opportunity to speak to students from around
the Midwest and to encourage diversity and inclusion within the
underrepresented legal community.
The courtroom always has been, and will continue to
be, the site of some of our country's greatest battles for freedom and
equality. All the way back to Madison v. Marbury to Brown v. Board of
Education to Powell v. Alabama and Citizen’s United, we have seen our
freedom’s be upheld, and at times, tragically lost in the courtroom. In
the political climate of today, when divisive policies disproportionately
affect the lives and rights of immigrants and minorities, we need the
legal community to reflect the people most affected by these injustices.
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