Rep. Ann Roe

Maddy summaryAB 722 imposes annual fees on large energy customers in Wisconsin based on their peak electricity demand, starting at $2 million for those using 100-250 megawatts and increasing by $1 million for each additional 250-megawatt increment. Fifty percent of these fees will fund the Green Innovation Fund, managed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The bill also requires data centers to report annual water usage to local governments, certify adherence to sustainable building standards (like LEED or BREEAM) within three years of operation, and pay workers the prevailing wage rate for large-scale construction projects exceeding $250 million in cost. These provisions directly affect large energy users, data center operators, and local governments managing water reporting.

Maddy summaryAB 785 establishes a program to cap electricity and gas costs at 2% of a household's annual income for energy burdened households (spending 2-4% of income on utilities) and severely energy burdened households (spending 4% or more, or having no income with utility bills). It prohibits utility disconnections for residential customers with income up to 300% of the federal poverty level due to nonpayment and creates an "energy burden relief fund" to finance the program. The bill requires automatic enrollment for eligible households, an online application portal, and annual reporting by the Public Service Commission on program administration and barriers to participation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state grant program to help school districts pay student teachers an hourly wage of at least $15 for their teaching hours during the 2026-27 school year and beyond. The funding comes from a state appropriation, with the Department of Public Instruction calculating and distributing payments to school boards based on the number of hours each student teacher worked in their district. The legislation also gives the department authority to create rules for administering the program and defines student teachers as individuals enrolled in approved teacher preparation programs who are completing their student teaching component.

Maddy summaryAB 1076 modifies rules for sharp-tailed grouse hunting permits in Wisconsin. It directs $7 from each permit fee toward managing the species and funding research (Section 1). The bill updates the permit allocation system: applicants earn preference points for past unissued permits, with random selection within categories if demand exceeds supply (Section 2), and requires the department to allocate permits between residents and nonresidents based on applicant numbers (Section 3). It also adjusts permit processing fees to $2.75 for some licenses and $9.75 for sharp-tailed grouse permits (Sections 4-5).

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits cosmetic manufacturers from conducting or contracting for animal testing on cosmetics within the state after December 31, 2026, and restricts the sale of products developed using such testing after July 1, 2027. It applies to any person whose name appears on a cosmetic label and bans the import or sale of cosmetics or ingredients known to have been tested on live nonhuman vertebrates after the specified date. Exceptions allow testing required by federal or state regulatory agencies under specific conditions, including when no alternative testing methods exist, or for compliance with foreign jurisdiction requirements where test results are not used to substantiate product safety in the state. Violations of the prohibition carry a penalty of $5,000 for each offense plus an additional $1,000 for each day the violation continues.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a revolving loan program to provide gap funding for workforce housing projects that have already received some financial assistance but still need additional funds to complete construction. It authorizes the state housing authority to issue up to $50 million in bonds to establish a dedicated fund for these loans, which will be repaid by developers and reused to fund future projects. The program targets residential housing where costs do not exceed 30% of 120% of the area median income, benefiting developers and local governments that partner on eligible workforce housing initiatives. The bill also amends existing statutes to exempt these new bonds from certain spending limitations and requires coordination with the state building commission before issuing any bonds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires unregulated pregnancy centers to obtain written authorization from individuals before disclosing their personal health information, with specific requirements for what the authorization must include and how long it remains valid. The law defines unregulated pregnancy centers as facilities that do not provide abortions or emergency contraception and are not covered by existing medical privacy laws, while also establishing rules for when information can be shared without consent, such as for legal compliance or law enforcement cooperation. Centers must notify individuals if their health data is breached and face penalties for violating these privacy protections, while also being prohibited from discriminating against people who refuse to authorize information sharing. The bill creates a new section in the state statutes to establish these requirements and specifies that the law takes effect three months after publication.

Maddy summaryAB 1068 modifies Wisconsin's broadband expansion grant program to better support local governments. It repeals outdated sections and updates rules to allow cities, villages, towns, and counties to apply for grants covering broadband infrastructure construction in unserved areas and related planning costs. Key changes include enabling grants for project planning (like feasibility studies) and permitting up to 50% of a broadband director's salary to be covered by grant funds. The bill directly affects local governments seeking to expand high-speed internet access in underserved communities.

Maddy summaryAB 1075 changes the age threshold for juvenile court jurisdiction by reclassifying 17-year-olds as adults for criminal prosecution purposes. It amends definitions to define "adult" as 17 years or older (instead of 18) for investigating and prosecuting criminal violations, while keeping 17-year-olds under juvenile court jurisdiction for specific cases. The bill also creates a new funding mechanism to reimburse counties for costs related to 17-year-olds accused of crimes starting in 2026. This directly affects 17-year-olds facing criminal charges and county juvenile justice systems managing their cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase state funding for passenger rail operations by $10 million and allocate an additional $5.2 million for feasibility studies on rail expansion projects. The funds would be directed to the department of transportation for fiscal year 2026-27 to support existing rail services and evaluate potential new routes. The legislation affects state transportation budgets and rail service providers by authorizing these specific appropriations. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet been enacted into law.