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/.

 

 


 

 

 

 

Events and Opportunities

 

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Archaeology Day at Milwaukee Public Museum

Saturday, November 4th

 

10:00am - 2:00pm

Milwaukee Public Museum

800 W. Wells St.

Milwaukee, WI

Learn more

 

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North Division High School Outstanding Educators

Saturday, November 4th
 

Doors open at 4:00pm

1011 W. Center St.

Milwaukee, WI

 

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 Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books

Saturday, November 4th


Open at 8:30am

1500 N.

 University Dr.
Waukesha, WI

Info on the free event

 

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Grace Fine Art and Craft Festival

Sunday,

November 5th

 

9:00am- 3:00pm

Grace Center

250 E. Juneau St.

Milwaukee, WI

View the free festival here

 

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 Quote of the Week:

"He needs to be held accountable. He hasn't visited; he won't meet with the correctional officers to be able to speak about what's going on. It's completely unacceptable."

-Senator Lena Taylor on Lincoln Hills

This is an official government communication from Sen. Lena C. Taylor. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, click here to send me an email to unsubscribe.

Stay in touch:

 Email: Sen.Taylor@legis.wi.gov

 

Milwaukee:

414-342-7176

 

Madison:

608-266-5810