Dear Friends,

In case you missed it, Wisconsin starts 2019 in the best fiscal shape in years. Our state ended the year with a $588.5 million surplus. That's the second highest surplus since 2000. It's also eight straight years with a surplus.

It's not an accident that our state rebounded from the days of 9% unemployment. We've been very careful with your money, cut taxes, and reformed government. It's helped create an environment that led to ten straight months of unemployment below 3%.

Our economy is one reason Wisconsin is becoming a top destination for movers. According to U-Haul, the Badger State ranks 13th in their state growth rankings for 2018. We moved up seven spots from 2017 and joined Missouri in the highest ranked Midwest states. That's great news at a time when we need more skilled workers in our state!

Monday will mark the 104th Senate Inauguration. I'm looking forward to working with four new senators: Kathy Bernier from Lake Hallie, Andre Jacqué from De Pere, Dale Kooyenga from Brookfield, and Jeff Smith from Eau Claire. I'm excited about our new session and working together to help the people of our great state.

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

On, Wisconsin!
Darling, Ott Introduce Drunk Driving Legislation
This week, Representative Jim Ott and I re-introduced our bills to toughen Wisconsin's drunk driving laws. Even though alcohol-related crashes have decreased in recent years, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reports that alcohol remains the single greatest contributing cause of fatal crashes.  

The bills will bring back increasing mandatory minimum sentences for repeat drunk drivers and those convicted of homicide while driving intoxicated. An important new bill will make the first offense a criminal misdemeanor and eliminated look-backs for second offense OWI. 

Under our bill a person convicted of first offense OWI who does not commit any other OWI related offenses within a five-year period after the conviction, may petition the court to change the conviction to a civil violation. This helps people who have made positive changes in their life get a second chance with a clean slate.

In this day and age, there is no excuse for driving under the influence. I’m proud of our efforts to get people with drug and alcohol issues the additional help they need through initiatives like the Treatment, Alternative, and Diversion program. These bills will strengthen our drunk driving laws and also give people the chance to show they have made a positive change.

Last session, Senator Darling and Representative Ott successfully passed laws making fourth offense OWI a felonies in all cases and closed the ignition interlock loophole. 
Darling to Serve on Seven Committees
Protecting taxpayers, continuing our investment in education, and keeping Wisconsin's turnaround moving forward will be my top goals in the upcoming legislative session. I'm excited to serve on so many important committees.

Recently, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) announced committee assignments for Senate Republicans. In addition to serving as the Senate Co-Chair on the budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance, I will serve six committees in the next Legislative session.

  • Education (Vice-Chair)
  • Judiciary and Public Safety
  • Universities, Technical Colleges, Children and Families
  • Joint Committee on Employment Relations
  • Joint Legislative Council 
  • Joint Legislative Audit Committee

My number one goal will be to protect taxpayers. The tax burden in Wisconsin is now at its lowest in 50 years. Wisconsin is on the right track, and we can't go back now.

As a former teacher, I know how important education is to our state's future. In my role as Vice-Chair of the Education Committee, I will continue to work to make sure every child in the state has access to a quality education. Providing students with a strong educational foundation will continue to move our state forward.

I am ready to work with Governor-Elect Tony Evers in areas that do not compromise the principles of those who elected me. One area with possible bi-partisan agreement may be to pass similar reforms to the federal First Step Act, which overhauled the criminal justice system.

I believe there is strong bi-partisan support for criminal justice reform. Unemployment has held at or below 3% for ten straight months, and our employers need workers. The fact is many of these individuals will eventually return to society. Making sure they are ready to find work in the jobs that are available is crucial to ending the cycle of incarceration and welfare.
Around the 8th...
Congratulations and thank you to Grafton Police Officer Andrew Mammen, who saved a young woman's life on flight over the holidays. Click on the video above to hear his amazing story.
Grafton Christmas Parade
If you are already missing the holidays, check out the 39th Annual Grafton Christmas Parade in the video above!