Dear Friends,

Once again, charter schools are proving they are an important part of education reform. The 2022 graduates of St. Anthony School in Milwaukee have earned more than $6 million in scholarships! St. Anthony isn't the only successful charter school in Milwaukee. 
 
Earlier this year, all 367 graduates of Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy were accepted to colleges and received $7 million in scholarships. The academy has a 100% acceptance rate dating back to 2012. That's an incredible run of success for the school and its students. With all that success, the school is close to its goal of raising $25 million for a new high school in Bronzeville. 
 
Charter schools are public schools that have more freedom in how they educate children. For many families, charters are the best opportunity for their children. In fact, 3.6 million children nationwide attend charter schools. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration is trying to change the rules for charter schools which could kick many kids out of successful schools. The new rules could potentially make funding for charter schools harder to stay open. 
 
It's not just the President that is trying to limit educational options for parents. In his budget, Governor Evers tried to hinder the creation of new charter schools in our state. I helped stop that change. I also authored legislation that will expand opportunities for Wisconsin families and improve our existing schools. The governor vetoed those reforms. 
 
Charter schools work in Wisconsin. It's a shame that they face many obstacles put in place by those who don't want reform. I will continue to fight for this successful option for parents.

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.wisconsin.gov.

On, Wisconsin!
Combatting Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking continues to be a national tragedy, and it's happening here in our state. All 72 counties report cases of trafficking, and Milwaukee is considered a hub for the crime.
 
In this session, I authored a bipartisan bill to protect victims of sex trafficking. Senate Bill 245, also known as the Safe Harbor bill, will ensure trafficked children won’t be charged as prostitutes and will be referred to victim services. 
 
With few exceptions, an individual who is under the age of 18 cannot legally consent to sexual relations. Despite that, minors who have been forced into having sexual relations because of trafficking can still be prosecuted for prostitution. Thirty states and the District of Columbia have passed similar bills to protect victims.
 
On average, children are only 13 years old when they are trafficked for the first time. Traffickers are experts at targeting vulnerable children. One out of every three homeless teenagers is lured toward victimization by traffickers within just 48 hours of leaving home. An estimated 70 to 90 percent of youth victims of sex trafficking have histories of sexual abuse.
 
The monsters who force children into sex trafficking will no longer be able to use the threat of prosecution for prostitution as a way to keep kids in a cycle of abuse. This simple change to the law is vital to ensuring that children who have been sex trafficked are recognized as victims, not criminals.
 
Unfortunately, the bill did not pass this session. I am committed to protecting our children and will try again.
Protecting Wisconsin's Elections
This week, the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) took an important step in protecting the integrity of our elections. The committee rejected an attempt by the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) to get around the Legislature and the law.
 
Once again, WEC is trying to take authority it doesn't have. This time, it's over fixing ballots with mistakes on them. Thankfully, the elected members of JCRAR stopped them. While the guidance remains, for now, the Legislature sent a clear message to clerks all across Wisconsin to be consistent in how they handle elections.


"State law provides no legal authority for local election officials to fix, or “cure,” defects, mistakes, or missing information on absentee ballots. But the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) said they could—resulting in some municipalities curing ballots while others did not."
 
Whether you live in Milwaukee, Manitowoc, or Marinette, the process for voting should be the same for everyone. WEC's ruling meant that didn't happen. Some clerks followed the law and some followed the guidance. That's not fair.
 
That's why I authored Senate Bill 212. It ensures that only legitimate ballots are counted while providing voters the opportunity to correct errors on their ballots. It creates a system for voters to check if there was a problem with their ballot and made sure outside groups weren’t allowed to alter ballots. 
 
Ballot curing is based on arbitrary guidance, not the law. My bill would make that process clear. Fixing problems on a ballot is a good thing. Who fixes those mistakes is also important. Until the vote is counted, the ballot should belong to the voter, not a clerk or an outside group.
 
Governor Evers vetoed this reform. The governor's veto directly led to the action taken by JCRAR. No one at WEC is elected by the people of Wisconsin to make law. They shouldn't be able to make these kinds of significant changes without Legislative approval. I am glad the committee is stopping them.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Anyone can now text or call 988 to connect with a counselor from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
 
Help is available anywhere in the United States. Trained counselors are available 24 hours a day to help with mental health emergencies and substance abuse issues.
 
You can also call on behalf of someone else. Counselors can offer guidance on helping someone experiencing a mental health crisis.
Road Closures in Brown Deer Area
Around the 8th