Rep. Lori Palmeri

Maddy summaryAB 976 clarifies how tax credits for low-income housing projects are claimed by business entities. It modifies rules so partnerships, limited liability companies, and tax-option corporations cannot claim the credit directly; instead, their members or shareholders (including insurers who are part of such entities) may claim it based on the entity's eligible costs. The bill requires entities to calculate and distribute credit amounts to members/shareholders, with specific allocation rules for ownership interests or written agreements. It directly affects housing developers, investors, and insurers involved in low-income housing projects financed through tax-exempt bonds in the state. The changes standardize credit allocation across multiple tax code sections without altering eligibility or credit amounts.

Maddy summaryAB 705 modifies alcohol licensing laws to explicitly include "painting art studios" as eligible for retail alcohol licenses. The bill defines a painting art studio as an establishment primarily offering painting instruction where customers can also purchase food and beverages to consume while painting. It adds these studios to lists of businesses permitted to serve alcohol under existing license categories, such as in hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. This change directly affects art studios that teach painting and serve food or drinks on-site, allowing them to legally sell alcohol during their regular hours. The bill does not alter alcohol sales hours or create new licensing requirements for these businesses.

Maddy summaryAB 727 requires state prison leaders and county jail officials to provide inmates with 3 hours of outdoor access weekly, starting after specific waiting periods. For state prisons, this applies to most inmates after 91 days (except those in certain facilities under Section 302.01(1)(i)), while county jails must provide access after 31 days. Exceptions include inmates in lockdowns or solitary confinement. The law takes effect for the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility on January 1, 2028, with broader implementation following. This policy directly affects incarcerated individuals in state and county correctional facilities across the state.

Maddy summaryAB 743 adds post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed from military service as a potential mitigating factor in sentencing for veterans convicted of crimes. It specifically applies to veterans (defined as those who served in U.S. armed forces) who have a documented PTSD diagnosis linked to their military service. Courts may now consider this PTSD diagnosis when determining sentences, potentially leading to reduced penalties. The bill takes effect for offenses committed after it becomes law.

Maddy summaryAB 744 would provide free vehicle access to Wisconsin state parks for veterans and gold star families. The bill creates a new statute allowing any vehicle (excluding motor buses) occupied by a veteran - verified using the federal definition in 38 USC 101 - or a family member meeting gold star lapel button criteria (per 10 USC 1126) to enter parks without paying admission fees. It directly affects eligible veterans and surviving family members of service members who died in combat. The policy change removes a fee requirement for these groups when entering parks by private vehicle, with proof of eligibility required at the park entrance. The bill is currently in committee review after its December 2025 introduction.

Maddy summaryAB 780 replaces Wisconsin's dry cleaner environmental response program with the "Revitalize Wisconsin program," which provides $3 million annually to help clean up contaminated properties. The program directly assists property owners (called "innocent landowners") who didn't cause pollution at sites known as "brownfields" (abandoned or underused properties with environmental risks). It funds cleanup costs, waste removal, and sampling to address health and environmental threats, with funds drawn from the environmental fund. The bill also repeals outdated provisions and creates new rules for administering these cleanup grants.

Maddy summaryAB 771 increases annual funding by $5 million for the University of Wisconsin System's freshwater collaborative for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. This bill directly affects the University of Wisconsin System's freshwater collaborative research program by providing new state funding. The key mechanism is a specific budget appropriation added to existing funding under Section 20.285 (1) (ar). The bill does not change program requirements or create new regulations, only adjusting the financial allocation. The funding supports collaborative research on freshwater resources across the UW System.

Maddy summaryAB 774 prohibits health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from requiring step therapy protocols for certain cancer treatments. Specifically, it bans forcing patients to try less expensive drugs first when a doctor prescribes a drug approved by the FDA for metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread) or a cancer-associated condition (symptoms or side effects from cancer treatment that worsen health if untreated). The ban applies only when the drug meets three evidence-based criteria: FDA approval, alignment with best medical practices, and support from peer-reviewed research. This directly affects patients with advanced cancer and their insurers, ensuring access to prescribed treatments without unnecessary barriers.

Maddy summaryAB 772 requires companies that sell packaged products (called "producers") to pay fees to fund recycling programs. It creates a "producer responsibility program" where businesses must cover costs for reducing packaging waste and ensuring packaging is recyclable or made with post-consumer recycled materials. The bill defines key terms like "recyclable" (must sort easily and have market demand) and "post-consumer recycled material" (recovered from consumer waste, excluding advanced recycling methods). This directly affects manufacturers, brands, importers, and retailers selling packaged goods in the state, with fees collected by a nonprofit organization to support statewide recycling infrastructure.

Maddy summaryAB 765 creates a state bonding program to fund lead service line replacement for private water users connected to public water systems. It authorizes up to $274.95 million in state bonds (increasing previous limits) and allocates $200 million from bond proceeds to provide forgivable loans covering up to 50% of replacement costs for homeowners. The bill directly affects private residents with lead pipes by reducing their financial burden for replacing hazardous infrastructure. Key provisions include the new bonding authority and the specific allocation for forgivable loans to address public health concerns related to lead in drinking water.