Rep. Joy Goeben

Maddy summaryAB 198 creates two key programs: (1) grants for technical colleges offering emergency medical services (EMS) training, provided they don't give admission priority based on residency; and (2) a reimbursement program for individuals or their employers who paid tuition/materials for initial EMS certification/licensure as an emergency medical responder or practitioner. Eligible applicants must complete required courses, pass exams, and obtain their license/certification through the Department of Health Services. The bill also establishes a "live 911" pilot program allowing grants for real-time video communication during emergency calls, requiring a performance report by October 2027. This directly affects EMS students, practitioners, their employers, and public safety answering points.

Maddy summaryAB 77 prohibits the use of devices designed to conceal, alter, or obstruct license plates on vehicles. It defines such devices as any manual, electronic, or mechanical tool that switches plates, moves them, or makes registration numbers unreadable. The bill bans possessing, selling, installing, or using these devices, and allows police to impound vehicles equipped with them (with costs paid by the owner). Violators face fines up to $1,000 or 90 days in jail. This directly affects vehicle owners who might use such devices to obscure license plates.

Maddy summaryAB 179 standardizes lighting requirements for police vehicles in Wisconsin. It mandates that on marked police vehicles, blue lights must be mounted on the passenger side (roof or interior) and red lights on the driver side, with all lights designed to be clearly visible from 500 feet in daylight or darkness. The bill also restricts use of warning lights to specific scenarios like emergency response, pursuits, or hazardous parking, prohibiting general use otherwise. This directly affects all law enforcement agencies operating marked or unmarked police vehicles statewide.

Maddy summaryAB 449 requires local governments to allow at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) - a separate living space on a single-family property - as a standard permitted use, meaning homeowners can build one without special approvals. Local rules may still limit ADU size (to match the main home's square footage), height, or yard space requirements, but cannot block ADUs entirely. The bill also prohibits using newly created ADUs as short-term rentals (like Airbnb) after a specific date. This directly affects homeowners in single-family zones and local governments that set zoning rules.

Maddy summaryAB 561 allows school buses to install and monitor cameras to record vehicles illegally passing them, and permits school bus operators or third-party vendors to submit photo or video evidence of these violations to local traffic authorities. Traffic officers can then issue citations based on this evidence, imposing fines of $30 to $500 on the vehicle owner. The bill specifies that these fines do not result in license suspension or demerit points. This law directly affects drivers who illegally pass school buses and the school bus operators or vendors reporting violations.

Maddy summaryAB 451 creates new rules for "residential tax incremental districts" (RTIDs) in cities, limiting these districts to 3% of a city's total taxable property value (down from a 12% cap for other districts). It requires RTIDs to fund only infrastructure for residential developments meeting strict size limits: single-family homes under 7,500 sq ft lots, two-family homes under 15,000 sq ft lots, and strict setbacks/sizes for homes (e.g., max 1,500 sq ft for single-story). Project costs are restricted to district-wide infrastructure (like stormwater systems), not individual lots, and must be paid from tax increments or developer financing. The bill directly affects cities creating RTIDs and developers building qualifying residential projects.

Maddy summaryAB 398 requires schools, child care centers, and nursery schools to include specific information about immunization waiver processes in their enrollment or admission materials. This means parents and guardians would see clear details on how to request waivers when signing up their children, rather than learning about it later. The bill standardizes this information across all covered institutions to improve transparency. It directly affects families during enrollment and the institutions managing those applications.

Maddy summaryAB 30 prohibits foreign adversaries (defined as foreign governments or entities deemed a threat to U.S. security by the federal Commerce Secretary) from acquiring, owning, or holding any agricultural or forestry land in the state. It also imposes a 640-acre ownership limit for non-resident aliens, foreign corporations, and certain entities with foreign ownership. Owners exceeding these limits must divest the excess land within four years or forfeit it to the state. The bill directly affects foreign governments/entities designated as adversaries and current landowners who violate the ownership limits. It creates new enforcement mechanisms but does not apply to land acquired before July 1, 1982.

Maddy summaryAB 411 would establish a "farmland link program" to connect agricultural producers with resources like land access, technical assistance, and market opportunities. The program would be administered by the Department of Agriculture, potentially using state funds identified in the fiscal estimate. This bill directly affects farmers and agricultural producers seeking support for land use and business development, with a public hearing held to gather input on its design. The proposal is still in committee review after its August 2025 introduction.

Maddy summaryAB 31 gives farmers and businesses who buy or lease new farm equipment clear rights when warranty issues can't be fixed. If a farm implement has a warranty problem that remains unresolved after four repair attempts or 30 total days out of service, the buyer or lessee can choose a replacement machine or a full refund. The bill requires manufacturers to cover related costs like alternative equipment rentals during repairs. This applies to new equipment purchased from authorized dealers or leased under written agreements, directly affecting agricultural equipment consumers.