Maddy summaryAssembly Bill 72 (AB 72) proposes that the state join the Driver License Compact, an agreement among states to share information about driving offenses. This directly affects drivers who operate vehicles in different states and the state's motor vehicle licensing authority. Under this compact, states would report convictions for motor vehicle violations to a driver's home state. The home state would then apply its own laws regarding license suspension, revocation, or limitation, giving the same effect to certain serious out-of-state offenses (like DUI or vehicular manslaughter) as if they occurred within its borders. Additionally, it would prevent individuals with suspended or revoked licenses from another compact state from obtaining a new license until the original suspension or revocation period has ended.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryAB 120 proposes to increase the staffing of the Office of School Safety, which operates under the Department of Justice. The bill authorizes an additional 14.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for the department. These new positions, funded by general purpose revenue, would become effective on October 1, 2025. The stated purpose of this increase is to support and enhance school safety initiatives.
Maddy summaryAB 88 addresses civil actions and law enforcement responses related to riot and vandalism activities. The bill prohibits government officials from limiting or restricting law enforcement's authority to arrest individuals or quell such disturbances. It also creates a new civil cause of action, allowing individuals who suffer injury or property damage from riot or vandalism to sue those who committed the acts or provided material support. Victims may seek compensatory damages, an order for property repair, and legal fees, regardless of whether criminal charges are filed. The bill also defines "rioting" and "incite" for these purposes.
Maddy summaryAssembly Bill 44 allows advanced practice nurse prescribers to pronounce the date, time, and place of a patient's death for the purpose of preparing death records. This bill amends existing statutes to include advanced practice nurse prescribers in the list of professionals legally authorized to make such pronouncements. To do so, the advanced practice nurse prescriber must be certified to issue prescription orders, have been directly involved in the patient's care, and follow accepted medical standards. This change primarily affects advanced practice nurse prescribers and the process of death record preparation.
Maddy summaryAssembly Bill 12 grants "state agency status" to physician assistants and advanced practice nurse prescribers who volunteer their services. This status applies when they provide uncompensated healthcare services for local health departments or school districts. For local health departments, this covers services requiring medical oversight, and for schools, it includes immunization programs. By gaining state agency status, these providers would be considered agents of the Department of Health Services for specific legal protections, such as representation by the attorney general, provided they adhere to state protocols.
Maddy summaryAssembly Bill 134 changes the effective dates for provisions within 2023 Wisconsin Act 126. It establishes July 1, 2025, as the general effective date for most of Act 126. However, the bill specifically delays the implementation of a detailed list of sections from Act 126 until December 1, 2027. This means that certain legal requirements or changes introduced by Act 126 will take effect at a later date than originally planned.
Maddy summaryAB 244 requires school boards, certain charter schools, and private schools participating in specific programs to post signs in their buildings. These signs must display the telephone number for the local agency responsible for receiving and investigating child abuse and neglect reports. The bill mandates that these signs be placed in a conspicuous, public location within each school building. This aims to make the child abuse and neglect reporting hotline easily accessible to those who need it.
Maddy summaryAssembly Joint Resolution 41 (AJR 41) proclaims May 2025 and May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Months. This resolution by the Wisconsin Legislature recognizes the over 370-year history of Jewish contributions to the nation's civic, social, economic, and cultural life, and thanks Jewish American citizens for shaping the country's character and strengthening religious freedom.
Maddy summaryAB 159 creates a grant program to support rural creative economy development in Wisconsin. It provides competitive grants of up to $50,000 to eligible applicants - including rural cities, tribes, nonprofits, and economic development organizations - for projects like renovating public spaces, supporting public arts, and promoting local creative businesses. Applicants must secure matching funds from nonstate sources (with no more than 25% in-kind), and grants must directly benefit rural areas defined as populations under 10,000 or non-urbanized regions. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation must report on the program's effectiveness by May 2027.
Maddy summaryAB 292 allows courts to use artificial intelligence or machine-assisted translation services instead of or alongside human interpreters in both civil and criminal court proceedings. It also updates rules to permit telephone or live audiovisual interpretation in criminal trials (beyond just non-trial stages) and clarifies that using AI translation does not require a waiver that would normally be needed for alternative interpretation methods. This bill directly affects court proceedings involving language barriers, expanding options for language assistance without mandating AI use. The law amends specific statutes to implement these changes, focusing on procedural flexibility for courts.