Rep. Jerry O'Connor

Maddy summaryAB 908 requires state agencies to improve how they deliver public services (like tax filings or business licensing) by creating new standards for accessibility, efficiency, and customer feedback. It mandates agencies to designate a lead official to develop implementation plans, collect public input, and measure service quality using metrics like wait times and ease of access. The Secretary of State must appoint a coordinator to oversee cross-agency efforts and establish guidelines for service delivery channels (in-person, digital, phone, etc.). Annual reports to the legislature will track progress on these improvements.

Maddy summaryAB 909 creates a joint legislative steering committee to conduct a state-wide study of data sharing practices across government agencies. The committee will hire an external firm to assess current data management systems, identify barriers to efficient data sharing, and recommend improvements like standardized frameworks or an enterprise data office. The study must evaluate best practices from other states and identify high-value use cases for better data collaboration. The committee must submit its final report with recommendations by December 31, 2026, to the legislature. This bill focuses on improving internal government efficiency through data standardization, not on direct policy changes affecting the public.

Maddy summaryAB 972 allows banks and credit unions to refuse or delay specific financial transactions and decline to accept a power of attorney for vulnerable adults when they reasonably suspect financial exploitation. Financial institutions must report suspected exploitation to adult-at-risk agencies and notify authorized account holders (excluding suspected perpetrators), while maintaining legal immunity for good-faith actions. This law directly affects vulnerable adults (elderly or disabled individuals at risk of exploitation), financial institutions, and the agencies that handle exploitation reports. It creates clear procedures for institutions to act preventively without facing liability, focusing on concrete safeguards rather than new penalties or funding.

Maddy summaryAB 973 allocates $1 million for fiscal year 2025-26 to fund economic support specialist positions in county resource centers. The Department of Health Services will award grants to 10 counties, prioritizing 2 rural, 2 suburban, and 2 urban counties for the first six grants, with up to four additional grants possible. Each grant funds one specialist position to assist individuals in resource centers, requiring grantees to submit annual effectiveness reports. The bill creates a new funding mechanism (20.435(7)(f)) to replace an existing section, with the appropriation effective immediately and the repeal of the old section taking effect July 1, 2027. This is a funding bill focused on resource center staffing, not a new policy.

Maddy summaryAB 974 establishes a permanent "public affairs network fund" to provide annual grants to WisconsinEye, the public affairs network broadcasting state government proceedings. The bill creates a new trust fund using state appropriations, donations, and interest earnings, which will fund WisconsinEye’s operating costs for live broadcasts, civic events, and free online archives of unedited government proceedings. WisconsinEye must meet specific requirements, including appointing legislative designees to its board, focusing coverage on official government business, and providing continuous free public access to broadcasts and archives. If WisconsinEye ceases operations, it must repay all grant funds to the state and transfer its archives to the state historical society.

Maddy summaryAB 990 would require Wisconsin high school students to earn at least 0.5 credits in personal financial literacy to graduate. The bill specifies that this course must cover topics like money management, saving/investing, credit/debt, and risk management. Schools could award credit for approved programs offered by financial institutions through school-based branches, as determined by the school board. This requirement would apply to students in high school grades once the law is enacted.

Maddy summaryAB 995 modifies state law governing when administrative rules and emergency rules take effect. It changes the default effective date for administrative rules to the first day of the 7th month after publication (previously 6 months) and extends the maximum duration for emergency rules from 150 to 180 days. These changes directly affect state agencies creating rules and the public subject to those regulations. The bill provides clearer timelines for when rules become enforceable and how long emergency rules may remain in effect without further legislative action.

Maddy summaryAB 994 creates an expedited process for state agencies to repeal outdated regulations they no longer have legal authority to enforce. It defines "restricted agencies" as those inactive for 10+ years or delinquent in required reporting, requiring them to submit reports before proposing new rules. The bill establishes a new petition process where agencies can request the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules to approve rule repeals, bypassing standard rulemaking steps for "unauthorized" rules. This directly affects state agencies managing obsolete regulations, streamlining removal of outdated rules without full legislative review. The change aims to reduce regulatory clutter by making it easier to eliminate rules no longer legally supported.

Maddy summaryAB 963 requires large social media platforms (with $1 billion+ annual revenue) to identify users under 18 and obtain parental permission before collecting their personal data. After a user spends 25 hours on the platform within six months, companies must estimate age with 80% confidence; if uncertain, they must treat the user as a minor. Platforms must then get verifiable parental consent for data collection, including location, browsing history, and biometric information. This bill directly affects minors under 18 in the state and major social media companies operating there, focusing on data handling rather than restricting access to platforms.

Maddy summaryAB 912 amends Wisconsin law to allow audiovisual recordings of children's statements as evidence in court for children aged 12 to 18 (previously 12-16). The bill requires recordings to begin before the child's statement is made and directs courts to consider factors like the child's age and the interests of justice when admitting such evidence. It specifically raises the upper age limit for admissibility from 16 to 18 years old. This change directly affects children involved in legal cases where their recorded statements might be used as evidence. The bill does not alter how recordings are made but adjusts the eligibility criteria and court considerations.