Dear Friends,

I hope you are well. This week, we had the exciting news that thanks to Operation Warp Speed, COVID-19 vaccines arrived in our state. Since it will take a while for everyone to be vaccinated, it's still important to take precautions against the virus.

Please be careful and continue to follow CDC guidelines, wear a mask, social distance, and wash your hands. It’s important to avoid lockdowns that create their own health crises in delayed medical care, mental health stresses, and the loss of businesses and jobs.

Christmas is right around the corner. If you are still looking for great last-minute gift ideas, Shop Main Street Wisconsin has you covered. You can shop at nearly 500 small businesses across our state. Find the perfect present and help out small businesses at the same time!

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!
Kids Can Return to School Safely
Kids need to be back in school. Period.

I know I am not alone in that belief. This week a study by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL), shows school districts that began the year virtually are losing more students than districts that began with in-person learning.

If we don't get children back into the classrooms, the damage to their education and mental health may be irreversible. Students are falling behind and low-income, minorities, students with disabilities, and students learning English are suffering the most. We can't let our children's future be another victim of this pandemic.


Getting kids back in school may help ease that stress and give kids the outlet they need. It will also get them back on track academically. We can't allow this to go on any longer. We should look overseas for how to return children to school safely.


Dr. Anthony Fauci agrees. He recently told ABC News; "The default position should be to try as best as possible within reason to keep the children in school, or to get them back to school.”

In July, I joined area school administrators and elected officials in supporting guidelines for re-opening area schools and getting children back into the classroom. In an effort to share best practices and ideas, I coordinated meetings with area lawmakers and superintendents to create a better understanding of the challenges facing local schools.

My goal was then, and remains now, to make sure children were back in the classroom. As the new chair of the Senate Education Committee, I will make it a priority to help schools reopen safely.
Audit Shows Evers Administration Failed Unemployed
On Wednesday, the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau presented a review of the Department of Workforce Development’s (DWD) disastrous response to unemployment claims brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Earlier this week, after voting during the presidential electors meeting, Governor Evers made the statement ‘We Made It.’

Unfortunately, the governor was referring to his vote and not whether his administration eliminated the backlog of unemployment claims. This audit made it clear making sure people had the money they needed at a time of crisis wasn’t a priority for Governor Evers or his administration. 

My office continues to receive calls and emails from constituents who haven’t heard anything about their claim in weeks. As of October 2020, more than 96-thousand individuals in our state have yet to be paid. The findings in these audits are unacceptable.

With $2 billion in federal CARES Act money and the flexibility to reassign staff, the governor pointed fingers and shifted the blame instead of finding a solution. This has been a failed effort by the Evers’ administration and this can’t continue for the hard-working families in Wisconsin.

As the holiday season approaches, many families will continue waiting for a remedy. I urge the governor to use all resources available and be transparent with the Legislature on what more can be done.

A summary of some of the findings is included below. 

  • From March 15, 2020, through June 30, 2020, 38.3 million of the 41.1 million total telephone calls (93.3 percent) to the call centers were blocked or received busy signals and, therefore, did not reach the call centers; 6.2 percent of calls were abandoned by individuals before speaking with the call centers, and 0.5 percent of calls were answered. 
  • 96,623 individuals with initial claims were still haven’t been paid as of October 10, 2020.
  • DWD was responsible for 11.0 of the 13.0 weeks (84.6 percent) that it took, on average, to resolve the initial claims in the sample group. 
  • DWD on average took 5.5 weeks to resolve issues even when it had the information to do so.
  • Despite citing technology-related shortcomings for the cause of the backlog, it took DWD seven months to utilize Google Cloud, a well-known and widely used technology that DWD now says will expedite decision-making and allow the department to release payments faster. Illinois was using Google Cloud in April.
Election Hearing Raises Concerns
Last Friday, both committees in the State Senate and State Assembly held a joint hearing to hear complaints raised from the November election.
 
We heard first-hand from people who were bullied and discriminated against because of their political beliefs during the recounts. We heard accounts of staff at nursing homes and assisted living centers taking advantage of and influencing voters to vote for residents. And finally, we heard directly from a subcontractor for the United States Postal Service, who claims his supervisors were backdating thousands of ballots before delivering them.
 
The concerns raised during the hearing are disturbing. It's my hope the Legislature will address these issues and restore trust in our election system.
Please Donate Blood, Plasma
Our hospitals are being overwhelmed by the pandemic. One way you can help is by donating blood. If you have recovered from COVID-19, please consider donating your plasma.

You can find out where to donate here and here.
Stop the COVID Spread
We are still seeing new cases, and that is a major concern, especially for our front-line health care workers and hospitals. It’s more important than ever that we do what we can to stop the spread of COVID-19.

It is vital to keep the stress off our health care system and businesses so we can get through this pandemic as quick and as safely as possible.

Click on the video above to see how you can keep you and your loved ones safe from COVID-19.
COVID-19 Cases in Our Area
The table above contains data reported on December 16, 2020 from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services on coronavirus cases in our area.
Emergency Room Visits with COVID Symptoms
COVID-19 Testing Available
Around the 8th...