Rep. Sequanna Taylor

Maddy summaryAB 705 modifies alcohol licensing laws to explicitly include "painting art studios" as eligible for retail alcohol licenses. The bill defines a painting art studio as an establishment primarily offering painting instruction where customers can also purchase food and beverages to consume while painting. It adds these studios to lists of businesses permitted to serve alcohol under existing license categories, such as in hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. This change directly affects art studios that teach painting and serve food or drinks on-site, allowing them to legally sell alcohol during their regular hours. The bill does not alter alcohol sales hours or create new licensing requirements for these businesses.

Maddy summaryAB 727 requires state prison leaders and county jail officials to provide inmates with 3 hours of outdoor access weekly, starting after specific waiting periods. For state prisons, this applies to most inmates after 91 days (except those in certain facilities under Section 302.01(1)(i)), while county jails must provide access after 31 days. Exceptions include inmates in lockdowns or solitary confinement. The law takes effect for the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility on January 1, 2028, with broader implementation following. This policy directly affects incarcerated individuals in state and county correctional facilities across the state.

Maddy summaryAB 736 requires state correctional facilities and county jails to provide free, nontoxic menstrual products to all inmates with active menstrual cycles. It mandates facilities to offer at least three verified brands each of tampons (with plastic applicator), pads, and reusable menstrual cups from a published list of nontoxic products. The bill defines "nontoxic" as free from harmful chemicals and requires facilities to sanitize reusable cups as needed. This directly affects incarcerated people who menstruate, ensuring access to essential hygiene products without cost. The law applies to all state prisons, county jails, and houses of correction in the state.

Maddy summaryAB 739 prohibits state and local government agencies, including law enforcement, from detaining individuals solely based on their immigration status. It specifically bans officials from aiding federal immigration enforcement efforts that target people for being undocumented, while allowing access to facilities under valid judicial warrants. The bill also prohibits state or local governments from entering into or continuing agreements with the federal government that enable local police to enforce federal immigration law (such as 8 USC 1357(g) agreements). This directly affects all state agencies, local governments, and law enforcement entities in the state by restricting their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The law creates new restrictions on state and local actions, not on federal policies.

Maddy summaryAB 725 requires state prisons and county jails to notify designated family members within 24 hours when an inmate faces restrictions affecting visits or communication (like solitary confinement). It also mandates an online public dashboard updated every 48 hours, showing current restrictions (with reasons and duration), solitary confinement numbers broken down by reason, and total inmate counts. The bill funds these systems with $780,000 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $275,000 for 2026-27, plus temporary staff to implement them. These changes directly affect inmates, their families, and correctional facilities by increasing transparency around restrictive practices.

Maddy summaryAB 726 requires all inmates in state correctional institutions and county jails to be paid a minimum wage of at least the hourly rate specified in statute 104.035(3)(a)1, with an immediate $2.33 per hour increase effective upon enactment. The bill mandates that wages must be based on productivity but cannot fall below this minimum rate, applies to all labor performed by inmates, and prohibits wage reductions without board approval. It also appropriates $58.9 million for 2025-26 and $88.4 million for 2026-27 to cover the increased inmate wages in state facilities, plus smaller sums for correctional enterprises. The law directly affects incarcerated individuals by guaranteeing a minimum wage for their labor, while ensuring funds are allocated to cover these new payment obligations.

Maddy summaryAB 729 requires all state correctional institutions and county jails to install transparent windows in inmate cells by October 2030 that are at least 1.5 square feet and provide 92% visibility to the outdoors. It mandates that every inmate must have access to view outdoors through such windows for at least 3 hours daily (unless in lockdown or solitary), achievable via time outdoors, in-cell viewing, or shared facility windows. The bill directly affects all state prisons and county jails in the state, requiring physical modifications to cell structures. Funding of $500,000 for 2025-26 and $3 million for 2026-27 is allocated specifically for window installation under this law.

Maddy summaryAB 741 requires state correctional facilities and county jails to provide inmates with access to essential personal hygiene products at capped prices based on a leading retail chain's sales. It mandates commissaries to sell 18 standard items (like soap, toothpaste, and razors) at no more than 125% of retail price, plus culturally specific items (e.g., hair products for diverse hair types and cocoa-butter lotion) at no more than 100% of retail price. The bill also provides a $25 monthly stipend for state inmates immediately and for county jail inmates after 91 days of confinement to purchase these products. This legislation, funded by a $6.45 million annual appropriation, directly affects all inmates in state prisons and county detention facilities.

Maddy summaryAB 731 requires state and county correctional facilities to provide inmates and juveniles with minimum weekly telecommunications access at no cost, including 180 minutes of phone calls, 60 minutes of video calls, and 100 text messages. It directly affects individuals in state prisons, juvenile correctional facilities, and county jails by mandating these service levels, which must be maintained or improved from existing access levels. The bill establishes funding through specific appropriations ($4.46 million for adult inmates, $517,500 for juveniles) and requires counties to join a state telecommunications contract or report why they don’t, with the state reimbursing counties for costs if they opt out. It also prohibits using telecom services to replace in-person visitation and bans charging inmates for services beyond the minimums.

Maddy summaryAB 765 creates a state bonding program to fund lead service line replacement for private water users connected to public water systems. It authorizes up to $274.95 million in state bonds (increasing previous limits) and allocates $200 million from bond proceeds to provide forgivable loans covering up to 50% of replacement costs for homeowners. The bill directly affects private residents with lead pipes by reducing their financial burden for replacing hazardous infrastructure. Key provisions include the new bonding authority and the specific allocation for forgivable loans to address public health concerns related to lead in drinking water.