Rep. David Steffen

Maddy summaryAB 6 requires school districts to spend at least 70% of their operating funds on direct classroom expenditures (including teacher salaries, instructional supplies, athletic programs, and cocurricular activities) and annual pay increases for school administrators. School boards that fall below this threshold must increase classroom spending by 2% each year until reaching 70%. If a district violates the requirement, the state will deduct the shortfall amount from its state aid payments, and if necessary, order property tax reductions for residents. The bill applies to all school districts starting July 1, 2026, with related contract rules taking effect immediately upon publication.

Maddy summaryAB 4 requires all public school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools in parental choice programs to include civics instruction in their curriculum starting in the 2027-28 school year. The instruction must cover U.S. founding principles, civic participation, government advocacy processes, and comparisons of governance systems (including communism, socialism, and totalitarianism). Schools must annually report compliance to the Department of Public Instruction, and high schools must add a half-credit civics requirement to graduation standards, effective for students graduating in 2030-31. This bill amends existing statutes to establish these requirements for K-12 civics education and reporting.

Maddy summaryAB 67 creates a new process for selecting where lawsuits involving government entities (like state officials, commissions, or federal representatives from the state) are heard in 1st or 2nd class cities. If a party requests it within 5 days of filing or service, the court clerk randomly assigns the case to another circuit court, and this assignment becomes final - no further venue changes are allowed. The bill also adds a fee for using this random venue option. It directly affects plaintiffs and defendants in such lawsuits filed in designated cities, changing how venue is determined under existing law.

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.

Maddy summaryAB 151 creates a legal presumption that courts should prioritize custody arrangements allowing children to spend roughly equal time with each parent, whenever feasible. This applies to all custody cases filed after the bill's effective date, directly affecting parents and judges determining physical placement. The law requires courts to assume equal time is in the child's best interest unless they find, based on evidence, that it isn't - considering factors like geographic separation between households. The bill modifies Wisconsin's custody statute to make this equal-time presumption the starting point for court decisions, with specific attention to practical realities like distance between parents' homes.

Maddy summaryAB 79 prevents the prosecution of minors under 18 for prostitution offenses when a court determines it serves the minor's best interests and protects public safety. Instead, the court may use diversion programs like consent decrees or deferred prosecution agreements under existing laws. The bill amends statutes to remove prosecution as an option for juveniles in these cases while maintaining DNA collection and expungement requirements for other serious juvenile offenses. This change directly affects minors charged with prostitution under section 944.30 (1m) by prioritizing rehabilitation over criminal prosecution.

Maddy summaryAJR 25 is a joint resolution that formally proclaims April 24, 2025, as Holocaust Remembrance Day and April 27, 2025, to May 4, 2025, as Holocaust Days of Remembrance in Wisconsin. This resolution aims to raise public awareness throughout Wisconsin about the Holocaust and its impact on world history and shared humanity.

Maddy summaryAssembly Bill 44 allows advanced practice nurse prescribers to pronounce the date, time, and place of a patient's death for the purpose of preparing death records. This bill amends existing statutes to include advanced practice nurse prescribers in the list of professionals legally authorized to make such pronouncements. To do so, the advanced practice nurse prescriber must be certified to issue prescription orders, have been directly involved in the patient's care, and follow accepted medical standards. This change primarily affects advanced practice nurse prescribers and the process of death record preparation.

Maddy summaryAssembly Joint Resolution 32 designates the first full week in May as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week in Wisconsin. This resolution aims to raise awareness about Tardive Dyskinesia (TD), a condition associated with antipsychotic medication use, and emphasizes the importance of early detection and routine screening for individuals prescribed these medications.

Maddy summaryAssembly Bill 134 changes the effective dates for provisions within 2023 Wisconsin Act 126. It establishes July 1, 2025, as the general effective date for most of Act 126. However, the bill specifically delays the implementation of a detailed list of sections from Act 126 until December 1, 2027. This means that certain legal requirements or changes introduced by Act 126 will take effect at a later date than originally planned.