Rep. Lindee Brill

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 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 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 summaryAJR 3 is a symbolic resolution that officially recognizes January 2025 as "Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month" in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but aims to raise public awareness about human trafficking, highlighting its prevalence across all 72 Wisconsin counties and its impact on vulnerable groups like youth and individuals with disabilities. The resolution aligns with broader state and national efforts to combat trafficking through education and community engagement. As a procedural resolution, it focuses solely on designation and awareness, with no direct policy changes or obligations for state agencies.

Maddy summaryAB 3 requires Wisconsin schools to incorporate cursive writing into the state English language arts curriculum standards and mandates that all elementary schools teach cursive writing as a core skill. Specifically, it requires public schools, charter schools, and private schools participating in parental choice programs to ensure students can write legibly in cursive by the end of fifth grade. The law applies to all elementary grades (K-5) and takes effect by July 1, 2026, though it excludes union high school districts. This policy change directly affects elementary school curricula across Wisconsin, requiring a specific skill-based objective in language arts education.

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.

Maddy summaryAB 60 modifies how local governments must phrase property tax referendum questions on ballots. It requires specific language detailing the dollar impact of a tax increase on a median single-family home in the district, including a good faith estimate and the property value used in calculations. This applies to referendums seeking to exceed existing property tax limits for school districts, municipalities, or other political subdivisions. The bill mandates that ballot questions include these concrete financial details to help voters understand the cost of proposed tax increases.

Maddy summaryAB 91 requires first-class city school districts to maintain at least 25 school resource officers (SROs) during school hours, before/after school, and at events starting January 2024, with mandatory 40-hour training for SROs. It mandates a cost-sharing agreement where school districts cover 75% and cities cover 25% of SRO-related expenses. School districts and cities must formally agree on implementation and provide certifications to avoid state funding withholdings of up to 20% for non-compliance. The bill directly affects first-class cities and their school districts, creating specific administrative and financial obligations tied to SRO staffing.

Maddy summaryAB 144 reassigns judicial positions within the state's court of appeals system. It eliminates one judgeship in District IV (reducing its total from 4 to 3 judges) and adds one judgeship to District III (increasing its total from 4 to 5 judges). The change takes effect on August 1, 2026, with the District IV position ending on July 31, 2026, and a new District III judge elected in the spring 2026 election for a 2026-2032 term. This directly affects the court structures in Districts III and IV of the court of appeals.

Maddy summaryAB 46 restricts flag displays on state and local government properties to only the U.S. flag, state flag, POW/MIA flag (recognized by Congress), and military branch flags. It applies to all state agencies and political subdivisions (cities, towns, counties) that own or occupy government buildings. The bill allows exceptions only if the legislature passes a joint resolution with a three-fourths majority vote for state facilities or a local governing body votes with a three-fourths majority for municipal properties. It repeals an existing administrative rule and takes effect January 1, 2027.