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Official Government
Communication
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
Session
Debrief- Taylor Bills Advance
This week Tuesday, the full Senate heard 56 bills and
voted to pass 10 bills that I have co-authored. These bills touched on a
number of areas that are important to our community: expanding
opportunities in education, combating human trafficking, and creating
pathways for re-entry for incarcerated individuals. In terms of next
steps, some of these bills are ready to be signed by the Governor
including Assembly Bill 280, which would incorporate financial literacy
into school curriculums and Assembly Bill 283, which would allow
financial institutions such as banks and credit unions to create savings
promotion programs, where a customer can win a prize for having a
qualifying account.
The bills and a brief explanation can be found below:
• Senate Bill 48 – (Lead Service Line Replacement) would provide
financial assistance for the replacement of a service line containing
lead.
• Senate Bill 299 – (Montessori Teaching License) would expand
teacher education programs that satisfy a requirement for obtaining an initial
teaching license under the alternative teacher licensure path to include
teacher education programs approved by the Association Montessori
International.
• Senate Bill 300 – (Soliciting Intimate Representation from a
Child) creates a crime for soliciting a sexually explicit photograph,
recording, or other representation from a person who is under the age of
18.
• Senate Bill 301 – (Summer School and Interim Session Classes)
expands the types of online classes offered as summer classes or interim
session classes to high school pupils and to pupils in grades 7 and 8
that qualify for state aid to include classes in arts, language, and
vocational education.
• Senate Bill 308 – (Patronizing a Prostitute) increases the
penalty for the crime of patronizing a prostitute from a Class-A
misdemeanor to a Class-I felony if the person has been previously
convicted of that crime at least two times.
• Senate Bill 339 – (Huber Release) allows a probationer who is
confined in a county jail or other county facility for a probation
violation to participate in Huber release, provided that his or her
probation is due to a misdemeanor conviction and the probation violation
for which he or she is confined is not a crime.
• Senate Bill 396 – (Patronizing a Child) increases the penalty to
a Class-I felony for patronizing a person who is under the age of 18.
• Assembly Bill 280 – (Incorporating Financial Literacy into
Curriculum) - directs each school board to adopt academic standards for
financial literacy and incorporate instruction in financial literacy into
the curriculum in grades K-12.
• Assembly Bill 283 – (Savings Promotion Prize Programs) allows
banks, credit unions, savings banks, and savings and loan associations
organized under this state's law (state-chartered financial institutions)
to conduct or participate in savings promotion programs.
• Assembly Bill 345 – (Work Release for Inmates in DOC contracted
facilities) permits inmates confined in county jails, county houses of
correction, or tribal jails under a Department of Corrections contract
with a local unit of government to leave the facility to participate in
employment-related activities or any other activity that has been
designated by DOC in its contract with the local unit of government.
Lincoln
Hills Juvenile Correction Facility
 More troubling news
has come from Lincoln Hills and Cooper Lake Schools this week. On
Tuesday, Lincoln Hills was placed on lockdown as correctional officers
searched for contraband. This follows news of increased assaults and
violence reported in the past weeks. The fact is, this is an ongoing
crisis that has failed to be addressed. For five years now, Governor
Walker has known and failed to make meaningful steps toward a resolution,
placing staff and juveniles at risk. Instead, the
Governor chose to shut down the unit that exposed the abuse and
dangerous conditions of the facilities. I have repeatedly called for a
special legislative session to address these issues. I have also
introduced a Juvenile Justice Bill of Rights package that would shift
juvenile corrections into the communities through regionalization. Most
recently, I introduced a bill to close down Lincoln Hills within one year
of the bill being signed into law. The situation has passed crisis level
and needs to be addressed immediately.
Education
first! Senator in the Community
 This week, I had
the fortunate opportunity to meet with and talk to students and educators
at Lake Bluff Elementary and Atwater Elementary schools. Early childhood
education is critical toward future academic and career success; we need
to encourage smart habits and steady focus so our students are ready to
compete in this global economy. This is particularly important for
students in underserved areas. In Milwaukee, less than 20 percent of
students in grades 3 through 8 can read at grade level, in the state,
only 42.7 percent! Education is truly an investment, once students fall
behind, the work needed to catch up is insurmountable. If children don’t know
how to write a compound sentence, it’s even more difficult to write a
standard, five paragraph essay. If someone can’t write an essay, how can
we expect them to get into, let alone succeed, in college? These are
crucial building blocks. That’s why I have introduced numerous
pro-education measures in the Capitol and that’s why I feel it is
necessary to meet the students and teachers who are doing the work on the
ground. Education is a community effort and we all need to be involved.
October
as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
 Last month, we observed National
Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Though we have now reached November,
it’s important to remember that domestic violence doesn’t come to an end
after this month; it’s a continuous crisis that needs our attention
year-round. In the United States, an average of 24 people fall victim to
rape, physical abuse or sexual violence per minute, coming out to an
average of 12 million men and women per year. Many of these victims are
silenced by the fear of violent consequences if they do speak out or seek
help. In fact, only 34 percent of victims harmed physically by their
partners receive medical treatment for their injuries. It is our
responsibility to help these victims make their voices heard and stop
this cycle of violence in our communities. If you or someone you know is
being abused by an intimate partner, seek help immediately. There are
numerous organizations right in Milwaukee who provide assistance to help
victims of domestic violence escape a toxic environment and rebuild their
lives, such as Sojourner Truth House, an emergency domestic violence
shelter for women and children.
For more domestic violence resources in the Milwaukee area including hotlines,
shelters and counseling, please look here.
For national resources, please visit https://ncadv.org/resources.This
is not a fight that must be done alone. We need to come together as a community
to become a support system for all abuse victims and prevent more
individuals from suffering such trauma.
National
Runaway Prevention Month
As we recognize National Runaway Prevention Month in November, the
theme for 2017 is “Friends Helping Friends.” This month we’re focusing on
communicating the wide array of underutilized resources available for
run-away or homeless youth. Good kids in bad situations often put
themselves at risk without knowing what support is available. These young
people often flee abuse and violence at home, but are exposed to further
victimization once on the street. Community safety has always been one of
my main priorities, as Milwaukee is one of the top five human trafficking
hubs in the United States.
 Nearly 500
unaccompanied youths experience homelessness every night in Milwaukee
alone. These youth are at an increased risk to experience all kinds of
abuse, so making them aware of the local, state and national programs
suited to their needs is necessary to combat these striking statistics.
Pathfinders is a local Milwaukee nonprofit that provides guidance and
support for struggling youth through its four initiatives: housing &
shelter, education, family engagement, and youth empowerment. The
National Runaway Safeline is a 24/7 federally designated, anonymous
hotline that provides non-judgmental support to youth all over the
country’s streets. There are many more organizations like these, but find
out how to help here: http://pathfindersmke.org/
and https://www.1800runaway.org/.
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