Rep. Paul Tittl

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for individuals convicted of felony crimes targeting church occupants with intent to terrorize or intimidate them. It mandates a minimum one-year prison sentence (with no probation allowed) for such offenses and requires prosecutors to seek court approval before dismissing or amending charges. Additionally, it prohibits deferred prosecution programs for these cases and directs courts to verify the specific intent element during trials. The law applies to any felony where the defendant intended to terrorize two or more people inside a church.

Maddy summaryAB 1073 amends Wisconsin statute 948.09 to address sexual contact or intercourse with a child aged 16 or older who is not the defendant’s spouse. It classifies such acts as a Class A misdemeanor if the defendant is under 19 at the time of the offense, or a felony if the defendant is 19 or older. The bill directly affects individuals aged 19+ who engage in sexual activity with 16- or 17-year-olds who are not their spouses. The legislation modifies existing penalties without changing the age of consent for married couples or the legal definition of "child" under the statute. The bill was introduced on February 26, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

Maddy summaryAB 1072 raises the property damage threshold requiring drivers to report motor vehicle accidents from $1,000 to $2,000. It directly affects drivers involved in accidents causing property damage, meaning they must now report incidents only if damage totals $2,000 or more (previously $1,000). The bill clarifies that "total damage to property owned by one person" includes joint ownership counted as a single owner. This change reduces the number of minor property damage incidents requiring police reporting.

Maddy summaryAB 841 expands Wisconsin's sex offender registration requirements by adding specific sexual assault and child abuse crimes to the list of offenses triggering registration. It updates the legal definition of "sex offense" to include violations of statutes covering crimes like sexual assault of minors, certain predatory acts, and offenses against children under 14. People convicted of these specific crimes will now be required to register as sex offenders, with the exception that the rule applies only when the victim was a minor and the offender was not the victim’s parent. This change directly affects individuals convicted of the newly listed offenses under Wisconsin law.

Maddy summaryAB 902 prohibits state agencies from quarantining certain animals solely due to exposure to chronic wasting disease (CWD) if the animals belong to species that neither carry nor are susceptible to CWD. It directly affects livestock owners, particularly those raising farm-raised fallow deer (Dama dama), by preventing unnecessary quarantines for these animals after exposure incidents. The bill creates new rules (sections 95.23(5) and 95.55(6)(c)) that block quarantine orders based only on exposure, while allowing other CWD-related measures for at-risk species. This policy change specifically targets non-susceptible animals, ensuring quarantine is not applied unnecessarily.

Maddy summaryAB 906 bans foreign nationals from contributing to or influencing referendum committees that support or oppose ballot measures. It defines "foreign national" broadly to include non-citizens, foreign governments, and foreign-owned entities, and requires committees to obtain written confirmations from contributors that they are not foreign nationals and haven’t received over $100,000 from foreign sources in the past four years. Committees must also attest they haven’t accepted such funds and cannot allow foreign nationals to direct or control their activities related to referendums. The bill directly affects referendum committees, campaign finance committees, and anyone contributing to ballot measure campaigns.

Maddy summaryAJR 124 is a proposed constitutional amendment requiring Wisconsin's legislature to approve spending from conservation bond funds or specially created funds for nature-based recreation. It would mandate legislative approval (via joint resolution or committee) for any expenditure exceeding a threshold amount set by law. This amendment responds to a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that struck down similar spending approval rules as unconstitutional. If passed, it would require two successive legislative approvals and voter ratification before becoming effective. The bill directly affects state agencies managing conservation funding.

Maddy summaryAJR 1 is a constitutional amendment requiring voters to present valid photo identification to cast a ballot in any election. It directly affects all voters in state elections, specifying that acceptable ID must be issued by the state, federal government, a federally recognized tribal entity, or a college/university in the state. The bill mandates the legislature to define acceptable ID types and establish exceptions, while allowing voters without ID on election day to cast a provisional ballot and submit ID later. This proposal, on second consideration after a 2023 rejection, would be submitted to voters in April 2025 if approved.

Maddy summaryAB 20 allows married individuals living apart due to domestic abuse (as defined in state law) to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) when filing a separate state tax return, rather than being required to file jointly. It establishes a state tax credit equal to 4%, 11%, or 34% of the federal EITC amount they’d qualify for if unmarried, depending on having one, two, or three or more qualifying children living with them. The bill directly affects survivors of domestic abuse who cannot file jointly with their spouse and are already eligible for the federal EITC but lose state credit access under current rules. It amends state tax code to create this exception, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryAB 56 requires all state agencies, local governments, and public schools to display the national motto "In God We Trust" in specific locations. Public buildings must show it on a poster, framed document, or wall (at least 11x14 inches, in English, and visible to the public), while schools must display it in every classroom starting in the 2026-27 school year. The bill mandates these displays within six months of the law taking effect, with detailed size, format, and visibility requirements. It directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and all state/local government buildings.