Rep. Dan Knodl

Maddy summaryAB 808 creates a "wetland assured delineation program" that allows certified professionals to perform wetland boundary identification work with the same legal effect as government-verified reports. It directly affects environmental consultants and wetland delineators who meet specific qualifications (e.g., associate degree with 8+ years experience or bachelor’s with 5+ years) and apply for certification through the Department of Natural Resources. Key provisions include requiring annual applications, mandating reports by March 15 (with limited 12-month extensions), and allowing certified delineators’ work to bypass department confirmation under certain conditions. The program also establishes department oversight through performance reviews and audits to ensure compliance with wetland delineation standards.

Maddy summaryAB 802 provides $600,000 in one-time funding to create an online dashboard tracking healthcare claims data, to be managed by the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO). It also allocates $1.38 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year and $1.56 million for 2026-27 to cover increased operational costs for WHIO. The bill directly affects WHIO, which will use the funds to build the dashboard and onboard new healthcare payer data. This is a funding measure focused on improving data accessibility, not changing healthcare policies or regulations.

Maddy summaryAJR 125 is a symbolic legislative resolution congratulating the Grafton Black Hawks high school football team for winning the 2025 Wisconsin State Football Championship. It specifically recognizes their perfect 14-0 season record, championship victory at Camp Randall Stadium, and individual honors for players and coaches. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally expresses the Wisconsin Legislature's support for the team's achievement. It directly affects the Grafton community and the team members by acknowledging their athletic success.

Maddy summaryAB 806 modifies Wisconsin law to clarify parental access to minors' health and court records. It generally grants parents access to their minor child's records but allows minors aged 14 or older to block access by submitting a written objection to the records custodian. The bill also explicitly denies access rights to parents who have been denied physical placement due to child protection cases (e.g., under § 48.13 for parental actions causing harm). These changes apply to health care records under statutes § 146.82 and § 146.83. The bill is currently pending in the Health, Aging and Long-Term Care Committee.

Maddy summaryAB 801 establishes a mandatory "all-payer claims database" requiring insurers, healthcare administrators, and managed care organizations (including those serving Medicaid recipients) to submit health claims data in machine-readable format. It mandates data submission within six months of the law's effective date, with standardized electronic reporting and annual submission schedules. The data organization must analyze and publicly report on healthcare costs, quality, and effectiveness in plain language, while restricting data sharing to purposes like public health research or policy decisions. The bill repeals prior requirements and creates new provisions to standardize data collection, reporting, and transparency for the Wisconsin Health Information Organization.

Maddy summaryAB 794 clarifies that healthcare workers using digital platforms to book shifts at facilities remain independent contractors - not employees - under specific conditions. The bill requires platforms to meet 15 criteria, such as allowing workers to freely accept/reject shifts, set their own rates, avoid mandatory availability, and not restrict other work. It directly affects healthcare workers and platforms connecting them to facilities, ensuring they retain contractor status if all conditions are met. The law explicitly excludes these workers from employee protections under certain statutes, focusing solely on shifts booked through compliant platforms.

Maddy summaryAB 795 requires Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction to create a free online portal where the public can search for license holder information. The portal must include the names of license holders under investigation, the outcome of those investigations (including voluntary license surrender), and the names of individuals whose licenses were revoked. This affects licensed professionals (like educators or healthcare workers) whose records are accessed through the portal, as well as the Department of Public Instruction, which must maintain and update the portal. The bill mandates specific data points be included, such as investigation dates and reasons, without disclosing confidential details during active cases. It does not change investigation procedures but increases public access to existing disciplinary records.

Maddy summaryAB 791 makes it illegal to intentionally send false text messages to 911 reporting a non-existent emergency. It directly affects individuals who send such deceptive messages, imposing fines ($100-$600) or up to 90 days in jail for a first offense. For repeat offenses within four years, the penalty escalates to a Class H felony charge. The bill targets misuse of emergency services by adding specific penalties for text-based false reports, which previously lacked clear legal consequences. This law aims to deter non-emergency text spam that wastes critical resources.

Maddy summaryAB 792 modifies how Wisconsin calculates state funding for public school districts by excluding certain costs funded through local voter-approved referenda (like bond elections) from the "shared cost" formula. This directly affects school districts receiving state equalization aid, as it prevents referendum-funded expenses from reducing their state aid eligibility. The bill adds specific rules to exclude referendum-authorized levies and related debt service from the calculation, ensuring districts aren’t penalized for using locally raised funds. These changes aim to align funding formulas with how school districts actually finance projects through voter-approved measures.

Maddy summaryAB 762 creates the WisKids Savings Account Program, automatically depositing $25 into college savings accounts for Wisconsin children born or adopted in the state who reside there before age 10. The program uses birth records to identify eligible children, with parents able to opt out within 30 days of receiving notice. The state limits total annual deposits to $2 million across all accounts. This new initiative operates separately from existing college savings programs under Wisconsin law.