Rep. Joan Fitzgerald

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how the Wisconsin Blue Book and highway maps are distributed to state legislators, changing from automatic distribution to a request-based system. Under the new rules, legislative offices must request copies of the Blue Book before printing, with each Senator allowed up to 600 copies and each Assembly Representative up to 350 copies. Highway service maps will be provided free of charge to each legislator and officer, with a limit of 50 copies per person, while folded highway maps will be distributed without charge to each legislator and officer with a limit of 500 copies per person. The bill also requires the department to contact legislators to determine their specific needs before distributing these documents, ensuring that distribution matches actual demand rather than being automatically sent to all members.

Maddy summaryAB 1044 creates a state grant program allocating $300,000 for the 2025-26 fiscal year to help adult family homes, community-based residential facilities, nursing homes, and residential care apartment complexes purchase patient lift devices. These devices must be state-approved, allow independent or staff-assisted operation, and mechanically lift a person. Facilities receiving grants must report usage data, with up to $100,000 of the appropriation reserved for collecting and analyzing this information.

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 would allow Wisconsin school districts to increase their revenue limits when they spend money on energy efficiency projects. The adjustment applies to districts that adopt a resolution authorizing the increase and meet specific requirements, including using performance contracts for the project and financing it with bonds or loans of 20 years or less. Eligible projects must reduce energy or operational costs, conserve water, or improve metering accuracy, and the revenue limit increase would last for each school year the district pays debt service on the financing. The bill updates existing statutes to clarify how these adjustments are calculated and applies to resolutions adopted on the effective date of the law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits employers from including clauses in employment contracts that prevent former employees from recruiting other current or former employees after leaving their job. It applies to all workers, including assistants, servants, employees, and agents, and declares such nonsolicitation provisions illegal and unenforceable as unreasonable restraints on trade. Employers must post a notice in conspicuous locations and on their websites explaining that these post-employment recruitment restrictions are void. The law takes effect for any employment contract that is entered into, extended, modified, or renewed on the bill's effective date.

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 953 requires retail firearm sellers to provide a clear written warning about child safety risks and a secure storage option during each sale. The warning, in block letters at least one-fourth inch tall, states that leaving a loaded firearm accessible to a child may result in fines or jail time if the child discharges it. Sellers must also provide either a lockable container designed for firearms or a trigger lock. Violating these requirements carries a penalty of up to $500 or 30 days in jail.

Maddy summaryAB 954 requires firearm owners to report lost or stolen weapons to local law enforcement within 24 hours, and to report recovery as soon as possible. Law enforcement agencies must forward these reports to a state database for tracking stolen firearms, which will be shared with other agencies. Owners who fail to report lost/stolen firearms face fines or jail time (Class A misdemeanor for first offense, Class I felony for repeat violations), and false reports are punishable under existing law. The bill also mandates sellers provide written notice of these reporting requirements to buyers at the time of sale.

Maddy summaryThis bill would add a nonvoting teacher representative to school boards in Wisconsin's common and union high school districts. The teacher representative would be selected through a secret ballot vote by teaching staff members and would serve a three-year term, attending all board meetings including closed sessions but without voting rights. The legislation also updates procedures for school board reorganization and special meetings to include notification requirements for the teacher representative.