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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
SB
119 and Industrial Hemp 
Since 2010, I have been part of a group of
legislators looking into the potential scientific and business findings
of industrial hemp as an alternative fuel and motor oil, as well as for
other uses like seed and industrial hemp oil in snack foods, body care
products, and food supplements. The culmination of these efforts will be
voted on as Senate Bill 119 by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Small
Business and Tourism next week, Wednesday. Under this bill the Department
of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will issue licenses that
authorize the growing and processing of industrial hemp (no more than 0.3
percent THC on a dry weight basis). Backed by a coalition of businesses,
farmers, nutritionists, and activists that understand the economic and
sustainable agriculture practices industrial hemp can offer, this bill
will create jobs and build positive ecological and economic benefits to
the state. The road to this point has been a long one, but I am looking
forward to seeing progress continue!
Senate
Bills 311 & 404
 This week Tuesday,
I was excited by the continued progress of Senate Bill 311, which was
passed in Executive Session. The bill now allows wineries to sell alcohol
until midnight each day as opposed to the previous law which stated
wineries were only able to sell alcohol until 9:00 pm. This stipulation
took away from business profits, potential events and employment opportunities.
Making this change in closing time allows for smaller businesses to
compete with larger companies and we are excited to see the growth and
expansion of wineries throughout Wisconsin.
Additionally, Senate Bill 404 will be presented shortly in the
Revenue, Financial Institutions and Rural Issues Committee. As a
co-sponsor of this bill, I have been excited to see this issue reach
committee in order to waive the $130 filing fee for postsecondary students seeking
to create their own limited liability company, as long as it’s formed as
a business start-up. So many intelligent, young individuals wishing to
make a difference in the world are currently hindered by the $130 filing
fee due to financial limitations. By passing SB 404, more students will
have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and continue to make a
difference!
Puerto
Rico Disaster Relief 
More than three weeks ago, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico.
Officials say nearly 84% of the island is still without electricity, 64%
of people are without drinking water and thousands are waiting in
lines at gas stations and under-supplied grocery stores. Despite Puerto
Rico being a territory of the US, the administration, sadly, has not
given the support it gave Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey or
Florida after Hurricane Irma. A recent poll showed that 54% of Americans
are unaware that Puerto Rico-born individuals are United State citizens
and would be 2 times more likely to help if they knew they were
supporting fellow citizens. It didn't help that the administration
tweeted out that our efforts cannot stay in Puerto Rico 'forever'.
In order to help in the efforts to rebuild Puerto Rico, the Latino
community is coming together to host the United Latino Fundraiser hosted
at St. Anthony’s High School (4807 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee) on Saturday,
October 21st and Sunday, October 22nd from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. My
colleague, Representative JoCasta Zamarripa, is collecting items to aid
in the effort and will take these donations to the event on behalf of
those who drop off items to her office. Items that will be accepted
include: clothes, shoes, batteries, blankets, non-perishable foods and
hygiene products. It is our responsibility as a community to help our
neighbors recover from any disaster, especially one as devastating as
Hurricane Maria. We must show support for our fellow Americans in Puerto
Rico.
College
Goal Wisconsin & filing out FAFSA
 As students across
the country begin applying to college, the questions of funding always
comes up. Many individuals and their families decide to fill out the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To ease this sometimes
complicated process, College Goal Wisconsin is hosting free opportunities
for assistance throughout the month. Held in 33 locations around
Wisconsin, these events aim to help students and families fill out FAFSA
with expert support. For a student to be considered to receive grants,
scholarships based on income or low-interest student loans, colleges require
that students fill out the online FAFSA form. In addition to this
assistance, over $30,000 in scholarships will be given out to students
who participate in these rewarding events. Allowing all students the
opportunity to receive higher education is a critical part in creating a
brighter future for all. For more information on the closest event to
you, please visit collegegoalwi.org.
Disability
Mentoring Week 
In October 2017, the Independence First Mobility Store will once
again host Disability Mentoring Week. It is a program for employers to
connect with students with disabilities to promote career development
through hands-on, job shadowing experiences. Disability Mentoring Week
2017 will take place from October 16 through October 20. Mentors are invited
to the Greater Milwaukee Area to participate in a one week mentoring
session. For more information on Disability Mentoring Week please contact
414-226-8367.
In addition, the state offers aid for equipment for individuals
with disabilities. The Equipment Advance Fund is a short-term way to pay
for Mobility Store equipment when you do not immediately have the funds
to pay for the equipment you need and do not have access to other credit
to pay for it. For more information about the Equipment Advance Fund
please contact 414-988-5333 or 608-243-1885. Also, if you are a Wisconsin
resident who is deaf, speech impaired and in need of adapted telephone
equipment- you may be able to get assistance with funding through the
Telecommunications Equipment Purchase Program or (TEPP). Please see
tepp.solixinc.com or call 414-226-8385 for more information.
International
Day of the Girl Child
Wednesday, October 11th marked the annual International Day of the
Girl Child. Adopted officially in 2012 by the United Nations General
Assembly, this celebratory day serves to promote and recognize girls’
rights and the distinct challenges all girls around the world face. This
year, the main focus will be “EmPOWER girls: Before, during, after
conflict.” According to the United Nations, every 10 minutes, one girl
somewhere in the world is killed due to violence, with this number of
gender-based crimes against girls steadily increasing. Many girls around
the world, especially those in conflict zones, are also not in school
purely because of their gender. International Day of the Girl Child marks
the yearlong effort to create more action and bring awareness to such
challenges all girls experience.
It’s important that all our girls realize that their voices always
matter and that they have the potential to have an impact on the world.
It is our job as a community to not only provide, but also support all
girls globally in the opportunities to make change. I strive to promote
female empowerment and work with communities to enable our girls to
become strong and powerful. By working together to help our girls
succeed, we become one step closer to creating a world in which gender
doesn’t stop an individual from having the power to take action and
improve the world.
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