Rep. Dave Murphy

Maddy summaryAB 477 changes the age threshold for issuing a Missing Child Alert from under 10 years to under 12 years. It directly affects minors under 12 who are believed to be incapable of returning home without assistance due to a physical or mental condition, disability, or inability to navigate safely. The bill amends the statute to adjust the age requirement while maintaining the existing criteria for qualifying alerts. This is a technical adjustment to the alert system's eligibility rules, not a new program or policy. The change aims to expand the alert coverage to include older minors who may still require urgent assistance.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits serving margarine as a butter substitute in public restaurants unless specifically requested by the customer. It also bans using margarine instead of butter for students in schools unless ordered by the student or their parent/guardian, with limited health exceptions requiring a healthcare provider's direction. State institutions (like hospitals or prisons) can only substitute margarine for butter with superintendent approval for specific health reasons. The law aims to ensure butter substitutions are intentional and health-appropriate in these settings.

Maddy summaryAB 236 ensures sexual assault victims who provide a forensic kit receive clear, timely updates about their case. It requires law enforcement to notify victims about kit testing timelines, DNA analysis results, and the kit's destruction date upon request. Victims also get updates if their case status changes (e.g., closed or reopened). The bill directly affects individuals who submit sexual assault kits, improving transparency in how their evidence is handled. It does not change criminal penalties or create new programs, but mandates specific communication protocols for law enforcement.

Maddy summaryAB 268 allows individuals who filed complaints about election officials' conduct (complainants) to appeal decisions by the Elections Commission to local court. The bill lets complainants appeal within 30 days - regardless of whether they suffered actual harm - to the circuit court in the county where the election official works or the complainant lives. It specifically clarifies that complainants can appeal if their complaint is dismissed or they don’t get the requested relief. The bill does not pause the Commission’s original decision during the appeal unless a court orders it. This bill was recommended for passage in October 2025 but was later laid on the table and did not advance further.

Maddy summaryAB 367 exempts minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) from standard labor laws requiring minimum wage, overtime pay, and detailed recordkeeping. Specifically, it creates new exemptions in state labor statutes for players whose CBAs explicitly define their wages and working conditions. Employers are no longer required to track these players' hours or maintain standard payroll records. The bill applies only to players under such CBAs, not to all minor league athletes. This is a procedural change to labor law exemptions, not a new pay standard.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Wisconsin's retirement system rules for state retirees who return to work. It allows retirees who rejoin state employment (after a 75-day separation) to choose whether to keep their retirement annuity for up to 60 months, instead of having it automatically suspended. If they elect to keep the annuity, their new employer must pay equivalent retirement contributions to the system. The policy directly affects state retirees returning to jobs where they work at least two-thirds full-time, while ensuring retirement fund contributions remain intact.

Maddy summaryAB 296 removes a 13-week waiting period that previously required employers (garnishees) to verify if they would owe wages within 13 weeks before processing wage garnishments. It directly affects debtors with ongoing wage garnishment orders and the employers handling those garnishments. The bill eliminates this waiting period, allowing garnishments to begin immediately upon employer notification. It also maintains existing priority rules, ensuring child support and restitution garnishments take precedence over other wage garnishments, with specific limits on the percentage of disposable earnings that can be garnished.

Maddy summaryAB 525 repeals 138 outdated tax credit and tax provision sections in the state's tax code. This directly affects taxpayers and state tax administrators by removing obsolete rules that no longer serve their intended purpose. The bill targets specific sections, such as expired credits and redundant requirements, without creating new tax policies. This action simplifies the tax code by eliminating provisions that have been deemed obsolete.

Maddy summaryAB 509 updates Wisconsin's rules for highway project delivery by creating new definitions for alternative methods like "design-build" and excluding others. It establishes a $300 million annual funding limit for alternative delivery projects (adjusted yearly using the DOT's construction cost index), with a cap of six contracts per year. The bill specifically prohibits using "construction manager-general contractor" or "progressive design-build" methods in the pilot program. This directly affects the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, contractors bidding on highway projects, and state transportation budget allocations.

Maddy summaryAB 439 modifies eligibility rules for a state grant program that funds improvements to agricultural roads. The bill adds a new requirement: a highway must have an engineering analysis by a licensed professional showing it cannot handle heavy agricultural traffic to qualify for the grant. This directly affects farmers and agricultural businesses that rely on these roads, as it expands the criteria beyond existing structural deficiencies or weight restrictions. The change aims to ensure roads serving farming operations receive targeted funding based on actual traffic capacity needs.