Rep. Randy Udell

Maddy summaryAB 1012 establishes a family and medical leave insurance program that would allow eligible workers to take up to 14 weeks of leave per year to care for a newborn, newly adopted child, or family member with a serious health condition, or to address certain family military needs. The bill would require employers with 50 or more employees to provide this leave, funded through a new family and medical leave insurance trust fund. It defines "family member" broadly to include spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, siblings, and other close relatives or people in close association with the employee. The legislation also sets specific limits on leave availability, including a maximum of 6 weeks for certain family situations and 8-14 weeks for combined reasons within a 12-month period.

Maddy summaryAJR 11 is a ceremonial resolution honoring the late Wisconsin State Assembly Representative Jim Soletski (2006-2010). It recognizes his career in the energy industry, service as chair of the Assembly Energy and Utilities Committee, advocacy for Native American relations, and community involvement with groups like JOSHUA. The resolution expresses the legislature's condolences to his family and extends recognition of his public service. Passed by both chambers in October 2025, it was deposited with the Secretary of State as a formal commemoration, with no policy or financial impact.

Maddy summaryAB 80 would allow social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors licensed in this state to practice in other states that join the Social Work Licensure Compact without needing separate state licenses. The bill amends existing statutes to align state definitions and requirements with the compact framework, ensuring professionals certified under Chapter 457 can work across participating states. It directly affects licensed social work professionals seeking to practice in multiple states and changes how their credentials are recognized in statutes related to child welfare, mental health, and professional practice. The compact aims to streamline licensure for these professionals while maintaining state-specific standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a public financing system for judicial campaigns in Wisconsin, allowing candidates for supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, and circuit court judge positions to receive state funding if they meet specific contribution requirements. To qualify, candidates must collect at least 1,000 qualifying contributions totaling between $5,000 and $50,000 during a designated period, and they must file detailed receipts showing each contributor's name and address. The bill also limits anonymous contributions to $5 for public financing candidates and $10 for others, requiring any excess to be donated to schools or charities. Additionally, it creates a mechanism for transferring unspent public funds to replacement candidates when a vacancy occurs, with funds reverting to the state if no replacement is filed within seven days.

Maddy summaryThis bill would update Wisconsin election laws to implement ranked-choice voting for certain offices and establish procedures for resolving election ties. It directly affects state and local election officials, candidates, and voters by changing how votes are counted and how ties are handled. The bill creates new provisions allowing candidates to be ranked on ballots, grants rule-making authority to the Department of Justice for implementing ranked-choice voting systems, and provides funding to counties and municipalities to update equipment and software needed for administering the new voting method. Additionally, it establishes specific procedures for resolving ties when candidates receive equal numbers of votes, including the option for candidates to draw lots if present. The legislation also allows municipalities to combine voting wards to facilitate the use of common polling places.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a longevity bonus program for teachers in Wisconsin school districts, providing a $7,000 payment to educators who have been continuously licensed and employed by the same school board for five consecutive school years starting in the 2031-32 academic year. The program allows teachers to receive additional bonuses for each subsequent five-year period of continuous service, with school boards required to annually report eligible teacher names to the Department of Public Instruction. The legislation creates new statutory sections to authorize funding for these payments and defines eligibility requirements based on continuous licensure and employment history.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Wisconsin's Special Needs Scholarship Program to require private schools to implement individualized education programs or services plans for students with disabilities, as modified by agreement between the school and the parent. It mandates that private schools provide all records related to these program implementations within five days of receiving a request from the resident school board. The changes take effect starting with the 2026-27 school year, ensuring greater transparency and accountability in how private schools serving students with disabilities manage their educational plans.

Maddy summaryAB 943 creates a new law (Section 941.236) prohibiting people from carrying firearms within 100 feet of polling places during voting hours (one hour before opening to one hour after closing). It directly affects voters, election workers, and anyone near polling locations during elections. The law applies to all individuals except law enforcement officers, qualified out-of-state officers, former officers, property owners on their own land, and security personnel acting in their official duties. Violating this provision is a serious misdemeanor charge.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Civic Information Consortium Board within the University of Wisconsin System to oversee a grant program that supports local journalism and media projects across the state. The board will consist of representatives from the university system, local media organizations covering print, online, radio, and television, and public members, with funding of $20 million initially allocated for grants and operations. The nonprofit corporation established to administer the grants must ensure recipients remain independent from state influence, direct at least 30% of funding to rural communities, and prioritize projects that address underserved populations and improve media literacy. The program aims to strengthen access to quality local news and civic engagement while requiring annual reports on how funds are spent and their impact on the public.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a journalism fellowship program within the University of Wisconsin System to place recent journalism graduates into local newsrooms. The program would establish a selection committee made up of university faculty and journalism industry professionals to review applications from candidates with degrees in journalism, media, or communications. Each year, the program would award 25 one-year fellowships providing $40,000 in salary to selected fellows, with funding appropriated for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years. The bill also authorizes 25 full-time equivalent positions within the university system to administer the program starting July 1, 2026.