Dear Friends,

Taking care of the brave men and women who protect our freedoms is a huge priority for me.  There have been some concerns with the treatment and care received by veterans at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King.  As a member of the Legislative Audit Committee, I voted for an audit of King to make sure our veterans get the care they need and deserve.

I'm happy to report the audit from the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau came back with some good news.   The audit also showed that  based on a federal five-star rating system, the  combined overall rating for King's four residence facilities exceeded the average ratings for other  skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin.  

I will continue to monitor the progress being made at King and the other veterans facilities in Wisconsin, especially staffing issues.  However, I am very encourage by the improvements so far.

As always, if you have any ideas on how to improve our great state, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at  Sen.Darling@legis.wi.gov or 608-266-5830.   

On Wisconsin!

Bill to Help Bereaved Parents Gets a Public Hearing
(I'm proud to stand with these brave parents of stillborn children.  I thank them for taking the time to testify in favor of my bill)

Each year, as many as three hundred families in our state have the heartbreak of stillbirth.  

It's time Wisconsin join other states in ensuring our tax code recognizes the parents of a stillborn child. Many of these parents undergo the same medical costs as parents of a healthy new born.  This tax credit is crucial to aiding these parents during one of the hardest times of their lives.

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Revenue, Financial Institutions, and Rural Issues held a public hearing on  Senate Bill 138 which I authored with State Representative Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan).  

Under federal law, parents receive a $1,000 tax credit for eligible children.  If a child takes his or her first breath and then passes away, parents are still eligible for this credit.  However, in Wisconsin, if a child is stillborn, parents are not eligible for this credit.

Our bill makes parents of a stillbirth eligible for a $2,000 refundable tax credit.  The funds are higher than that of the federal credit because parents of a stillborn child may not be eligible for maternity leave.  As such, the funds are meant to address lost wages during the miscarriage and recovery.

I want to thank the parents of stillborn children who reached out in support of this bill and came to testify on its behalf.  It took incredible courage to share such personal stories, and your testimony shined light on the great need for this piece of legislation. I would also like to thank Representative Ballweg for her work on this bill.

The bill is now available for a vote in the Senate Committee on Revenue, Financial Institutions, and Rural Issues.  
DOT Public Information Meeting Next Week

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is working on plans to reconstruct the Green Tree Road Bridge over I-94.  Next week, the DOT is holding a public information hearing at Nicolet High School.  For more information, visit here.


Wisconsin Blue Books Available

The new Wisconsin Blue Books are in!  The Blue Book is an invaluable resource about our state's history, demographics, and data.

If you would like a copy, please visit my website, fill out the form, and we will mail one out to you at no cost.
Around the 8th...
This week, I had the honor of attending the World Orphan Fund 2017 Wisconsin Gala.  The event featured Steve Forbes and Governor Scott Walker.  

This is a great organization that is all volunteer so 100% of donations go directly to their projects.  For more information visit here.
Senator Alberta Darling | Sen.Darling@legis.wi.gov | 1-800-863-1113| http://darling.senate.wisconsin.gov
See what's happening on our social sites: