Rep. Gus Gustafson

Maddy summaryAB 263 requires disability insurance policies and self-insured health plans to cover diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental screenings for individuals at increased breast cancer risk, as defined by National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines or breast density (per American College of Radiology standards). It mandates coverage without copays or deductibles for these specific screenings, including diagnostic exams for abnormalities and supplemental screenings for high-risk patients. The bill applies to all affected plans, ensuring coverage regardless of symptoms and prohibiting cost-sharing for these services. This directly impacts patients with dense breast tissue, family history, or other risk factors, as well as the insurers and employers offering these health plans.

Maddy summaryAB 275 modifies state law to require government agencies to pay legal fees and costs when a court rules that an administrative rule is invalid (e.g., because it violates the constitution or was improperly created). It specifically directs that these costs - awarded to successful challengers - be paid from designated state funds under statutes 20.865(1)(a), (g), or (q). The bill applies to challenges involving agency rules or guidance documents and ensures fees are limited to the scope of the rule validity challenge. This change affects state agencies (who must cover costs) and individuals or groups challenging agency rules (who can recover legal expenses).

Maddy summaryAB 276 sets time limits for state agencies' "statements of scope" when creating administrative rules. It requires permanent rule statements to expire after 30 months and emergency rule statements after 6 months, preventing agencies from using expired statements to propose new rules. The bill also mandates separate statements for concurrent emergency and permanent rules and limits agencies to one rule per statement. These changes directly affect state agencies developing regulations and ensure legislative review occurs within defined timeframes. The bill does not alter rule content but streamlines the process for agency rulemaking and legislative oversight.

Maddy summaryAB 274 establishes a 7-year expiration cycle for Wisconsin administrative rules, requiring state agencies to formally request "readoption" before rules expire. It directly affects state agencies that create and maintain administrative rules, mandating they submit detailed notices to the legislature with specific information about each rule's purpose, legal basis, and compliance status. Key provisions include new requirements for readoption notices (including statements on rule compliance), a process for legislative committees to review these notices, and a schedule for expiring rules that were in effect before 2025. The bill also creates a rules procedures manual to guide agencies on drafting and legislative review. These changes streamline rule expiration and renewal while increasing transparency for lawmakers.

Maddy summaryAB 277 requires state agencies to provide detailed cost analyses for new rules that may affect businesses, local governments, or individuals. Agencies must quantify all expected implementation and compliance costs (and potential savings) over a two-year period, broken down by affected groups, and report this as a single net dollar figure. If projected costs exceed $10 million, the rulemaking process must pause until costs are reduced or offset. The bill also establishes rules for funding independent cost analyses when agency estimates vary significantly and mandates revised analyses after rule modifications. This bill aims to increase transparency around financial impacts of new regulations before they are finalized.

Maddy summaryAB 687 requires the state wildlife department to establish a statewide wolf population goal when wolves are not protected under federal or state endangered species laws. This law directly affects the department, hunters, and trappers by mandating a management plan that sets a specific population target. The key provision allows the department to regulate wolf hunting and trapping through licensing limits - such as restricting the number of hunters, trappers, or wolves taken - based on the established population goal. The bill does not change current protections but creates a framework for future management if wolves are removed from endangered lists.

Maddy summaryAB 89 addresses theft crimes and their associated penalties. The bill text includes an amendment that removes the phrase "in a 6-month period" from two specific lines within the bill. This change modifies the criteria for certain theft crimes by eliminating a previously defined 6-month time constraint. This adjustment impacts individuals accused of theft and the legal process for prosecuting these offenses.

Maddy summaryAB 237 extends the age limit for infants covered under Wisconsin's safe haven law from 72 hours to 30 days. This means parents can now safely relinquish an infant to a hospital or emergency responder without legal consequences if the child is 30 days old or younger, instead of only 72 hours. The bill modifies three statutes to update references to "72 hours" to "30 days" in the legal definitions for safe haven surrender, court findings of relinquishment, and related procedures. It directly affects parents seeking to surrender newborns and impacts hospitals, law enforcement, and child welfare systems that handle these surrenders. The change provides a longer window for parents to make this decision while maintaining the legal framework for safe relinquishment.

Maddy summaryAB 677 creates a new criminal offense for "grooming a child for sexual activity," defined as manipulating a child to facilitate sexual abuse. This law directly affects individuals convicted of such grooming behavior, adding it as a punishable offense under Wisconsin statutes like 948.02 (sexual exploitation of a child) and 948.072 (grooming). Key provisions amend multiple laws to include grooming as a disqualifying factor for home placements, licensing for childcare, and reporting requirements, while defining it as a "serious crime" for entities serving minors. The bill does not change existing penalties for actual sexual abuse but establishes grooming itself as a distinct criminal violation with specific legal consequences.

Maddy summaryAB 346 modifies fleet registration requirements for certain motor vehicles, specifically targeting commercial or organizational vehicle fleets (like rental companies or corporate fleets). The bill's exact provisions - such as fee adjustments, registration process changes, or eligibility criteria - are not detailed in the provided context. It directly affects businesses and organizations operating multiple vehicles under a single registration. The bill passed all legislative stages on October 14-17, 2025, but the specific policy changes cannot be summarized without access to the bill's text.