Rep. Rob Swearingen

Maddy summaryAB 619 creates a $150 million grant program to fund aviation biofuel manufacturing projects in Wisconsin, funded through state public debt issuance. The bill requires grantees to use facilities exclusively for aviation biofuel production (with limited exceptions for other biofuels if 80% of output is aviation fuel), source 80% of biomass locally, and invest at least $1.5 billion in aviation biofuel manufacturing within five years. It directly affects companies building such facilities and the Department of Natural Resources, which administers the grants. The program aims to support the state's forest products industry and create jobs, with strict repayment terms if grantees fail to meet requirements.

Maddy summaryAB 822 modifies Wisconsin's local roads improvement program for town road projects. It exempts projects under $65,000 from requiring registered engineer certification, sets a minimum 10-year design life for funded improvements (requiring professional review for shorter assessments), and prevents counties from contracting with towns for road work they've already estimated. The bill creates new deadlines for towns to submit applications to county facilitators and establishes committees to review funding requests. These changes directly affect towns seeking road funding, counties managing projects, and county highway commissioners handling contracts.

Maddy summaryAB 1009 creates a framework for local governments to establish "tourism promotion improvement districts" to fund tourism marketing and infrastructure. It directly affects hotels and motels within designated districts, requiring at least 50% of room owners to petition for creation and approve an operating plan detailing improvements, activities, and financing. Key provisions include setting a 5-year maximum assessment period (10 years for renewals), capping fees for payment processing at 5%, and mandating public hearings before district approval. The bill enables districts to fund tourism promotions and infrastructure (like visitor centers) through business assessments, with all details of costs and benefits outlined in the approved operating plan.

Maddy summaryAB 838 creates a $1.75 million grant from the environmental fund to the Town of Washington in Vilas County for dredging the Deerskin River. The grant covers specific dredging-related costs like permits, testing, and sediment transport. The town must complete the project by December 31, 2028, or repay the full amount to the department. If the project finishes early with unused funds, the town must return the unspent portion. This bill directly affects the Town of Washington’s river maintenance project without changing broader environmental regulations.

Maddy summaryAB 819 allows health care providers to offer discounts of up to 15% for prompt payment of fees by individuals covered under disability insurance policies. It directly affects health care providers serving patients with such coverage and requires providers to: (1) post discount policies online, (2) limit discounts to avoid collection costs, and (3) not shift discount costs to other patients or advertise discounts publicly. The bill does not require providers to offer discounts but prohibits them from reducing coinsurance/deductibles under disability insurance terms, except for these structured prompt payment discounts. It also ensures discounts comply with federal law and do not override existing provider contracts with insurers.

Maddy summaryAJR 127 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit the governor from using a partial veto to create or increase any tax or fee. If approved by voters, it would amend the state constitution to restrict the governor's partial veto power specifically regarding tax or fee increases. This change would directly affect the governor's authority when reviewing budget bills containing tax or fee provisions. The amendment is currently moving toward a voter referendum in November 2026, following legislative approval. It does not change current law but would require voter ratification to become effective.

Maddy summaryAB 885 limits how cities can regulate land development outside their official boundaries. It prevents municipalities from denying approval for land plats or surveys based solely on the proposed land use, unless the denial follows specific, pre-approved rules related to: (1) land use itself, (2) public improvements, (3) land division standards, or (4) annexation agreements. This directly affects developers and landowners seeking to build in areas adjacent to cities but not yet within city limits. The bill ensures cities can only block development for clearly defined reasons, not arbitrary concerns about how land might be used.

Maddy summaryAB 839 amends Wisconsin statute 60.23(32)(b)1 to explicitly include the Town of Three Lakes in Oneida County among towns authorized to create tax incremental districts (TIDs). This allows Three Lakes to establish TIDs - special tax districts used to fund local infrastructure projects using future property tax revenue growth - in the same way cities and villages currently can. The bill directly affects Three Lakes by expanding its local economic development tools, with no broader impact on other towns or counties. It makes a specific statutory change without altering TID rules or creating new policy.

Maddy summaryAB 864 updates the state lottery code by creating new definitions for three game types: "break open games" (pull-tab style), "instant games" (scratch-offs), and "lotto games." It adjusts vendor payments to align with these categories and establishes a performance-based compensation program for retailers, capping payments at 1% of revenue for instant and lotto games, and 2% for break open games. The bill also requires retailers to display a sign about top prize claims and allows for shorter retailer contracts. These changes clarify operational and financial arrangements for lottery vendors and retailers.

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.