Rep. Ron Tusler

Maddy summaryAB 849 amends Wisconsin statute 939.46(1m) to define "direct result" for an affirmative defense available to victims of human trafficking. The bill clarifies that victims who commit offenses (like theft or assault) to escape or prevent trafficking under s. 940.302(2) or s. 948.051 may use this defense if the offense has a logical causal connection to the trafficking violation, occurs immediately afterward, and is necessary for escape. It directly affects trafficking victims facing criminal charges for actions taken while escaping exploitation. The law removes the requirement that the trafficking violation must have been prosecuted or convicted for the defense to apply.

Maddy summaryAB 892 defines key terms related to digital assets and staking to clarify that these activities are not subject to the state's securities laws. The bill creates specific definitions for "digital asset," "node," "staking" (locking assets to support blockchain security), and "staking as a service" (third-party platforms enabling staking). Crucially, it explicitly states that staking and staking services "do not include" activities covered by securities regulations. This bill directly affects digital asset users, validators, and third-party staking service providers by removing regulatory uncertainty around these activities under current securities law. The bill focuses solely on definitional clarity, not on changing existing securities enforcement.

Maddy summaryAB 947 requires technical college districts to create and maintain campus safety plans for all buildings regularly used by students. These plans must include individualized safety strategies for each building, emergency response procedures, and input from staff, students, mental health professionals, and local police. The bill also mandates that technical colleges conduct annual safety assessments, provide staff training on campus safety, and share campus maps with local police and the Office of School Safety. The Office of School Safety will develop model safety practices for technical colleges and coordinate data collection, while funding for safety training and upgrades becomes available through existing grant programs. This bill directly affects technical college districts and their staff by expanding safety planning requirements beyond traditional schools.

Maddy summaryAB 990 would require Wisconsin high school students to earn at least 0.5 credits in personal financial literacy to graduate. The bill specifies that this course must cover topics like money management, saving/investing, credit/debt, and risk management. Schools could award credit for approved programs offered by financial institutions through school-based branches, as determined by the school board. This requirement would apply to students in high school grades once the law is enacted.

Maddy summaryAB 995 modifies state law governing when administrative rules and emergency rules take effect. It changes the default effective date for administrative rules to the first day of the 7th month after publication (previously 6 months) and extends the maximum duration for emergency rules from 150 to 180 days. These changes directly affect state agencies creating rules and the public subject to those regulations. The bill provides clearer timelines for when rules become enforceable and how long emergency rules may remain in effect without further legislative action.

Maddy summaryAB 994 creates an expedited process for state agencies to repeal outdated regulations they no longer have legal authority to enforce. It defines "restricted agencies" as those inactive for 10+ years or delinquent in required reporting, requiring them to submit reports before proposing new rules. The bill establishes a new petition process where agencies can request the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules to approve rule repeals, bypassing standard rulemaking steps for "unauthorized" rules. This directly affects state agencies managing obsolete regulations, streamlining removal of outdated rules without full legislative review. The change aims to reduce regulatory clutter by making it easier to eliminate rules no longer legally supported.

Maddy summaryAB 993 establishes a process for automatically removing expired state rules from Wisconsin's official rulebook. It requires agencies to conduct economic impact analyses for new rules that could cost businesses, local governments, or individuals over $10 million in implementation and compliance costs over two years, potentially halting rulemaking. The bill includes special provisions for "readopting" existing rules (renewing without changes), requiring agencies to analyze costs and benefits of the original rules instead of new rule costs. This affects state agencies creating rules and businesses, local governments, and individuals impacted by regulatory changes.

Maddy summaryAB 715 regulates "nonrecourse civil litigation advances," where companies provide cash to people with pending lawsuits in exchange for a share of settlement proceeds. It directly affects consumers (individuals with legal disputes) and companies offering these advances by setting strict limits: maximum $100,000 per advance, finance charges capped at the weekly prime rate plus 10%, and repayment must occur within 36 months. The bill requires clear contract disclosures (in bold, 12-point font) about costs, the right to cancel within 5 days, and prohibits companies from controlling lawsuits or paying referral fees to attorneys. Violations incur fines of $25-$5,000 per offense, with additional penalties for willful violations.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution formally recognizes December 25 as the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ for the Wisconsin Legislature. It expresses the legislature's acknowledgment of Christmas as a sacred day for Christians, referencing biblical events in its preamble. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws, alter policies, or affect any specific group or policy. The resolution serves only to affirm the legislature's symbolic recognition of the holiday's religious significance.

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.