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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
Bills
Heard in Committee
 This week, two bills
that I have been working on were heard in their designated committees.
The first, SB 385 is a bill that would make it easier for residents in
long-term care facilities, such as elderly members of our community and
individuals with developmental disabilities, to receive care and
attention to their diets. This bill makes it easier for attending
physicians to delegate the prescribing of a therapeutic diet to a
certified dietitian for those who truly need it for their medical
wellbeing. I am excited to see the advancement of such important
legislation.
The second bill, AB 414, was also heard in the Committee on Criminal
Justice and Public Safety. Under current law, if two individuals under
the age of 18 engage in consensual sexual activity, they both may receive
a felony charge. As a part of AB 414, two underage individuals who
participate in such an activity may receive a misdemeanor instead of a
felony, preventing these individuals from having to register as sex
offenders. As a cosponsor of this bill, I believe that many young people
make mistakes in having sex at a young age, but this mistake should not
constitute them being labeled as a sex offender. A felony charge along
with this designation is a permanent mark on their life that will have
grave impacts on their future.
Las
Vegas Tragedy
 On Sunday, October
1st a tragedy struck our nation in Las Vegas. What was supposed to be a
fun night of country music became the scene of yet another mass shooting
in our country. The horrific event resulted in 58 people losing their
lives and 489 people injured. This devastating event shows that our
nation is in need of sensible gun ownership laws and more education. I
continue to fight for training, safety and accountability in our state.
With the addition of Las Vegas to a list that includes the Pulse
Nightclub in Florida, Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook Elementary School in
Newtown, Connecticut, hundreds of innocent lives have unnecessarily been
lost in a mere 10 years. This devastating day reminds me why I have introduced
my Gun Safety and Accountability package, a series of 4 bills aimed at
educating gun owners about firearm risks and increasing their liability
for damages caused by their firearms. Massacres like the event in Las
Vegas remind us not only of how precious life is, but also of the
continued need to work together to create a safer community for all.
Supreme
Court Gerrymandering
 On Tuesday, the
Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Gill v. Whitford case
concerning the extreme partisan gerrymandering within Wisconsin. In the
2012 Wisconsin election, Republicans, despite gaining less than half of
all of the votes cast, won 5 out of the 8 seats that were up for
reelection, largely due to the unfair redistricting of Wisconsin's
electoral map in 2011. Last year, the Federal Court ruled against the
state's current map, stating that it unfairly weakened the vote for
Wisconsin residents. This deliberate effort of some legislators to save
their seats in Madison has been damaging to our democracy. To address these
concerns, I have thus introduced 3 bills as a part of the Democracy
Enhancement and Protection Package to protect the voting rights of all
individuals. This set of bills helps to ensure that those who can vote
have the opportunity to do so. Unbiased access to the ballot box is vital
to a true democracy in which all citizens have the chance to be involved.
It is my hope that this set of bills will allow individuals to exercise
their constitutional right of participation in the democratic process.
Scholarships
for Domestic Abuse Victims
 The month of October
is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Every year, approximately 7 million
women are raped or abused by their current or former intimate partner.
These victims, including men, women and children, suffer silently and
stay with their partners out of fear for their own lives. Survivors of
such abuse have many options, including domestic abuse shelters,
counseling and a variety of hotlines to receive support. We all need to
work to make sure that these survivors are aware of and can access these
life-saving resources.
Multiple organizations offer scholarships to survivors. These
scholarships, like the one offered by the Liz Claiborne Foundation,
intended to help battered women receive higher education, provide victims
with the tools necessary to create a better life for them and their
families. Please note, though, that each organization has specific
requirements that applicants must meet before they can apply. For more
information regarding such scholarships, please visit here.
Urban
Ag and Manufacturing Day
 Friday is Urban Ag
& Manufacturing Day. These two sectors of our state have been
important to the growth and development of economic opportunity and
community building. In 2010, community agriculture programs trained an
estimated 35,000 individuals in farming practices, sustainable
agriculture, business management and marketing. In the same year,
community food programs funded by the USDA attributed to 2,300 direct
jobs and 3,600 micro-businesses. Urban agriculture and manufacturing
provides opportunities for long-term, sustainable employment,
particularly for returning citizens, some of whom have opportunities to
learn agricultural and horticultural skills while incarcerated. Urban Ag
& Manufacturing Day recognizes the hard work of local farmers to
bring fresh food to their neighbors in cities across the country. While
23.5 million Americans live in a food desert, this is increasingly
important. The centralized nature of urban agriculture and manufacturing
can also create community hubs through developed or renovated green
spaces, orchards, and building locations. Not only can these hubs bring
communities together, they can create opportunities for workforce
development, provide relief for households located in food deserts, and
jumpstart entrepreneurship activity in our state.
HBCU
College Fair
 This Saturday my
office is co-hosting the HBCU College Fair at Vincent High School (7501
N. Granville Rd, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53224) from 10 am to 3 pm. Come
join us and check out the 75 Historically Black Colleges and Universities
and Tribal Colleges that will be in attendance. Representatives from
these colleges and universities will be present to answer questions for
perspective applicants and parents. In addition to booths for each of the
colleges, there will also be opportunities for FAFSA information and help
provided by the College Access Center, as well as scholarship
information. Panel discussions and pre-college programs will also be
offered throughout the day.
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