Rep. Shae Sortwell

Maddy summaryAB 554 requires clear labeling for food products containing lab-grown meat, directly affecting food manufacturers, restaurants, and state institutions. It mandates that "lab-grown meat" appear in prominent, contrasting text on labels (at least as large as other text), with full ingredient lists and separate labeling for multi-component products. The bill prohibits serving lab-grown meat as a meat substitute in public eateries without customer order or in state institutions (like prisons or hospitals) without specific health authorization. Violations carry fines of $100-$500 for first offenses and up to $1,000 for repeat violations. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryAB 308 prohibits Wisconsin state and local government funds from being used to pay for health services for individuals without legal immigration status. The bill directly affects undocumented residents by blocking state/local funding for their healthcare. Key provisions ban state/local funds for such services (except where federal law requires payment or where applying the ban would cause loss of federal funds). The law does not restrict federal healthcare programs or funding. This is a policy change affecting state budget allocations, not a procedural measure.

Maddy summaryAB 964 clarifies that online sexual extortion targeting children falls under existing law by specifying it as a violation of Section 942.095 when the victim is a child (as defined in Section 948.01). This bill directly affects law enforcement agencies investigating internet crimes against children, enabling them to issue administrative subpoenas to internet companies for relevant data without a court order. The key provision streamlines the process for obtaining evidence from online platforms in cases where children are victims of sexual extortion. It does not create new penalties but ensures these cases are explicitly covered under current statutes for investigative efficiency.

Maddy summaryAB 992 revises cost thresholds for administrative rule reviews, lowering the trigger point from $10 million to $4 million in projected costs for businesses, local governments, and individuals over two years. It prohibits agencies from splitting a single rule into multiple rules to avoid this cost analysis requirement. Agencies must halt rulemaking if costs exceed the threshold unless they modify the rule to reduce costs, then re-evaluate. This directly affects state agencies creating regulations and entities bearing compliance costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Wisconsin's licensing requirements for speech-language pathologists working in public schools by allowing the Department of Public Instruction to issue licenses to individuals who already hold valid licenses from the state's hearing and speech examining board or possess a valid compact privilege. The legislation modifies existing statutes and administrative rules to streamline the licensing process, ensuring that qualified professionals can transition from clinical practice to school employment without redundant certification steps. Additionally, the bill includes broader changes to teacher licensing standards, such as requiring full semester student teaching for all teacher preparation programs, including those outside the state. These provisions aim to align school-based speech-language pathology credentials with established professional standards while maintaining oversight through the state superintendent.

Maddy summaryAB 751 modifies how electric utilities calculate fuel costs for their rate plans. It requires utilities to account for the cost of purchasing electricity and revenue from selling generation capacity that meets Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) requirements when calculating fuel costs. This change affects electric utilities and their customers by adjusting how fuel cost differences (under- or over-collections) are handled in rate adjustments. The bill creates a new definition for "Midcontinent independent system operation" to align with existing MISO terminology.

Maddy summaryAB 86 amends Wisconsin law to impose a life sentence without parole for individuals convicted of child trafficking involving three or more child victims. It specifically upgrades penalties under statutes 948.051(1)(b) and 948.051(2)(b), defining child trafficking as recruiting, transporting, or exploiting children for commercial sex acts. The bill requires courts to sentence offenders to life imprisonment without parole eligibility when three or more child victims are involved, affecting both traffickers and those who benefit from such crimes. This change applies to offenses committed on or after the bill’s effective date.

Maddy summaryAB 1024 requires food products containing lab-grown milk (defined as milk replicated without mammal harvesting) to be prominently labeled with the phrase "lab-grown milk" in large, contrasting text on packaging. It mandates full ingredient lists and specific labeling for multi-component products. The bill prohibits using lab-grown milk as a milk substitute in restaurants without customer order and restricts its use in state institutions like schools or hospitals without medical authorization. Violations carry fines of $100-$500 for first offenses and up to $1,000 for repeat violations. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryAB 1038 would allow private sector employees to deduct union dues specifically used for education or training from their state individual income tax. To qualify, the dues must be allocated for these purposes, and the employee's union must operate a training facility within the state. This deduction applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. It directly affects union members in private-sector jobs whose dues support in-state training programs.

Maddy summaryAB 1052 prohibits labor unions from providing nonnegotiated benefits (like health insurance or retirement plans) to employees who do not pay union dues or fees. It directly affects nonunion employees who might otherwise receive such benefits from their union, excluding them from these perks if the benefits weren't part of collective bargaining agreements. The bill creates a new statute requiring unions to restrict these nonnegotiated benefits to members who pay dues. This policy change aims to align benefit access with union membership status for noncollectively bargained perks.