Madison Reporter

State House Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) spent part of last week adding her voice to that of Attorney General Josh Kaul to promote his proposed $115 million Safer Wisconsin legislative package.

Among other things, Hong took to social media to support the legislation intended to reduce crime and support stronger communities.

"Thank you AG Kaul for introducing the Safer Wisconsin legislative package which includes our hate crimes reporting bill," Hong said in posts to her Twitter and Facebook accounts on Wednesday, Nov. 10. "Our communities have the potential to be stronger if we reinvest in them together. Hate has no place here."

Kaul announced the comprehensive legislative package in a Wisconsin Department of Justice news release issued Nov. 1 in which he called on the state legislature "to take significant steps toward safer communities across Wisconsin by investing $115 million—a portion of the state’s $2.5 billion surplus—in public safety and making new and previously introduced statutory changes."

The legislation rests on four key areas: Strengthening community trust and crime prevention, not allowing guns to get into the hands of people who clearly are dangerous, address the state's substance abuse and mental health crises and offender accountability.

Wisconsin DOJ reports that there were 72 reported hate crimes in the state so far this year, 43 of which were motivated by race and the rest motivated by religious, sexual orientation, disability, gender or gender identity.

Hong was also present at Boys and Girls Club in Madison during a news conference when Kaul discussed the proposed $115 million Safer Wisconsin legislative package.

Kaul also made his case for the legislative package on social media.

"Safer Wisconsin would strengthen community trust and prevent crime, help keep guns out of the hands of people who’ve been shown to be dangerous, address substance use disorder and mental health crises and help hold offenders accountable," Kaul said in a Thursday, Nov. 11 Facebook post.