Rep. Lori Palmeri

Maddy summaryAB 707 modifies fees for land designated as "managed forest land" in Wisconsin. It requires new owners of such land to pay a $100 fee within 30 days of transfer (to certify continued compliance with management plans and obtain department approval), and sets a $300 withdrawal fee if land is removed from the program. The fees are deposited into the conservation fund, with $20 allocated to forestry recording under statute 20.370. This directly affects landowners transferring or withdrawing managed forest land, updating existing fee structures under statutes 77.82 and 77.88.

Maddy summaryAB 773 requires correctional facilities to provide specific care for incarcerated pregnant and postpartum individuals (within 6 weeks of birth). It prohibits unnecessary restraints on these individuals except in extreme safety circumstances, mandating written documentation and staff training. Facilities must offer pregnancy testing, STI/HIV screening, continuing medication, doula/lactation support (if available at no cost), mental health assessments, and breastfeeding supplies. The bill directly affects all pregnant or postpartum people held in state prisons or jails, ensuring access to healthcare and support services during incarceration.

Maddy summaryAB 708 extends the lifespan of tax incremental districts (TIDs) used for housing improvements by up to three years after a city pays off project costs. It directly affects cities that have established TIDs for housing development, allowing them to continue using tax increment financing beyond the district's original expiration. The bill requires cities to submit extension resolutions to the Department of Revenue and obtain joint review board approval for extensions longer than one year. This change aims to provide more flexibility for cities to complete housing projects without losing access to dedicated funding streams.

Maddy summaryAB 760 raises the monetary threshold for certain small claims court cases from $5,000 to $10,000. It directly affects individuals filing third-party complaints, personal injury claims, or tort actions with claims of $10,000 or less. The bill changes the statute to allow these specific claim types to be handled in small claims court instead of regular civil court when the amount sought is $10,000 or less. This policy change simplifies access to a faster, less formal court process for qualifying cases.

Maddy summaryAB 706 modifies Wisconsin's tax increment district (TID) rules by reducing the local tax base limit from 18% to 12% of a city's total taxable value for certain districts. It restricts residential use in mixed-use TID projects to 35% of the district area and expands allowable TID spending to include park development costs. These changes directly affect cities and towns operating TIDs by altering how they calculate tax base limits and fund eligible projects. The bill aims to clarify TID management while controlling tax impacts on non-district areas.

Maddy summaryAB 719 replaces Wisconsin's existing "expenditure restraint incentive program" with a new "municipality payment program" that guarantees annual payments to eligible municipalities. The bill directly affects municipalities that received payments under the old program in 2024, 2025, or 2026, ensuring they receive each year a payment equal to their highest historical amount from those three years. Key provisions include creating a new payment account in the local government fund, setting payment schedules for July and November, and phasing out the old program after 2026 (effective July 2027). This change provides long-term budget certainty for municipalities while modifying the state's funding mechanism.

Maddy summaryAB 735 creates a centralized online clearinghouse for Wisconsin small businesses, requiring the state Department to compile and publish key information on a single website. The clearinghouse will include details on government contract bidding opportunities, economic development programs, business training/events, licensing/permit requirements, and tax/fee obligations from state and local agencies. This bill directly affects Wisconsin small businesses by making it easier to access government resources and compliance information in one place. The clearinghouse will be coordinated with agencies like the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Department of Revenue.

Maddy summaryAB 805 creates a program to reimburse corn farmers for seed coating that deters sandhill cranes from eating corn seeds. Eligible farmers must have produced at least $6,000 in gross farm revenue the previous year and plant corn on agricultural land. The program covers up to 50% of seed coating costs (max $6,250 per farmer per planting season), prioritizing farmers with prior crane permits, recent reimbursement, or documented vulnerability to crane damage. It is funded by a $1.875 million annual appropriation for two years to cover reimbursements and administrative costs.

Maddy summaryAB 811 creates a $25 million annual grant program for businesses opening new locations or expanding into vacant commercial spaces, administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). It directly affects eligible businesses in commercial districts, continuing a similar program from June 2023 while explicitly excluding nonprofit organizations from receiving grants. The bill allocates $25 million for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years to fund these "Main Street Bounceback Grants" through WEDC's existing grant framework. Key provisions require WEDC to follow eligibility rules nearly identical to the prior "Wisconsin Tomorrow" program, focusing on revitalizing underutilized commercial properties.

Maddy summaryAB 797 creates a $2.5 million grant program to help counties, cities, and towns test privately owned wells for water quality and map well locations. It provides up to $10,000 per grant for well testing, groundwater assessment, and geologic studies, plus separate grants for county health departments to offer well-testing education. The bill also requires municipalities with private wells to inform residents about testing importance and exempts the department from standard emergency rule procedures for implementing this program. The law appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support these concrete actions.