Rep. Dan Knodl

Maddy summaryAB 582 creates a Council on Dual Enrollment to oversee credit transfer policies, with members representing universities, technical colleges, school districts, tribal colleges, and state education leaders. It requires public colleges to make 72 core general education credits transferable between institutions by September 1, 2026, and private colleges to make 36 such credits transferable starting in 2027-28. The bill mandates agreements ensuring high school students’ dual enrollment credits for core courses (e.g., math, English) satisfy college requirements at participating institutions. This directly affects high school students in dual enrollment programs, public and private colleges, and tribal colleges across Wisconsin.

Maddy summaryAB 168 would have updated Wisconsin's unemployment insurance law with several key changes. It required stronger identity verification for claimants filing benefits and operating a dedicated call center with extended hours during emergencies or high call volumes. The bill also mandated training materials for employers and required the unemployment department to notify lawmakers and the governor before changing fraud detection methods. This bill was vetoed by the governor on October 31, 2025, so these provisions did not become law.

Maddy summaryAB 674 prohibits health insurance plans and the Medical Assistance program from covering organ transplants or related care if the organ was transplanted in or originated from a country designated by the department as participating in forced organ harvesting. The bill applies to disability insurance, self-insured health plans, and Medical Assistance. It defines "forced organ harvesting" as removal via coercion, deception, or abuse of power, and requires the department to designate affected countries. Life-saving post-transplant care remains covered even if the transplant itself is prohibited under the bill.

Maddy summaryAB 614 clarifies teachers' authority to manage classrooms and addresses student behavior incidents. It defines key terms like "disruptive behavior" and "violent incident," requiring teachers to immediately notify school principals when removing a student for safety concerns or classroom disruptions. The bill mandates that students can only return to a classroom after removal if a behavior intervention plan is in place for serious incidents, and it prohibits school districts from retaliating against teachers who enforce classroom rules or report disruptive behavior. This directly affects teachers (by protecting their actions), students (through new placement rules), and school administrators (by requiring specific procedures for student removals). The bill passed the Assembly on November 19, 2025, with 54 votes in favor.

Maddy summaryAB 248 creates a new statutory section (17.03(10m)) clarifying how vacancies are handled in appointive state offices with fixed terms. It defines "appointive state office" to include positions in state departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and authorities (but excludes the legislature and courts). The bill specifies that when an appointee's fixed term expires, the vacancy is filled under existing procedures - without changing current rules. This is a procedural clarification, not a policy change, affecting state government appointees but not altering how vacancies are currently managed.

Maddy summaryAB 385 requires political committees and parties to collect a credit card's verification code and a U.S. billing address when accepting online credit card donations. It allows exceptions for U.S. citizens living abroad, who must instead provide their U.S. voter registration address. Financial institutions processing such payments without these verifications face fines equal to the total amount of the unverified contributions. The bill directly affects political groups and payment processors handling campaign donations.

Maddy summaryAB 595 updates Wisconsin's voter registration system to better comply with federal voting laws. It requires the Elections Commission to verify U.S. citizenship for all voters by matching registration data with state databases from the Department of Transportation, State Registrar, and Department of Corrections. Municipal clerks must report monthly on voter status changes, including removals due to citizenship issues, and share audit results with election officials. The bill directly affects election administrators, state agencies handling voter data, and voters whose eligibility is verified through these new processes.

Maddy summaryAB 923 creates a civil legal pathway for victims of sexual extortion (defined under statute 942.095) to sue for physical injury, emotional distress, or property loss. It allows victims, their parents/guardians (if minors), or estate representatives (in cases involving suicide linked to the extortion) to file lawsuits regardless of any criminal case outcome. The bill includes strong privacy protections, permitting plaintiffs to use initials instead of full names in court documents and allowing courts to issue orders shielding victims from public disclosure or unnecessary examinations. If successful, plaintiffs can recover damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, attorney fees, and other litigation costs.

Maddy summaryAB 968 would require virtual currency kiosks (machines exchanging cash for digital currency or vice versa) to obtain state licenses, display mandatory fraud warnings, and verify customer identities using government ID and photos. It sets a $500 daily transaction limit, caps fees at 3% or $5 per transaction, and mandates detailed receipts showing all transaction details. The bill directly affects kiosk operators and customers, aiming to prevent fraud through identity checks and clear transaction records. Currently under review in the Financial Institutions committee.

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.