Maddy summaryAB 283 expands Wisconsin's business development tax credit to include specific child care costs incurred by employers for their employees. It allows businesses to claim a tax credit covering up to 15% of eligible expenses, such as capital costs to start a child care program, operational costs, reimbursements for employee child care, purchased child care slots, and contributions to dependent care flexible spending accounts. This directly affects businesses operating in Wisconsin that provide child care benefits to employees, making these costs deductible under the existing tax credit program. The bill modifies tax code sections to define these eligible expenses and sets the effective date for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryAB 328 requires child welfare agencies to share a redacted copy of a child's permanency plan and any written comments with out-of-home care providers (such as foster parents or group homes) **before** a permanency plan review or court hearing. The bill mandates that agencies remove confidential information protected by state or federal law (like medical records or sensitive family details) before sharing. This change directly affects foster care providers by giving them advance access to plan details, helping them prepare for reviews. It applies to both foster care (under Chapter 48) and juvenile justice systems (Chapter 938), effective 30 days after enactment. The bill does not alter permanency plan content but ensures providers receive timely, relevant information.
Maddy summaryAB 560 prohibits municipalities from using physical drop boxes or other physical receptacles to collect voted absentee ballots in any election. Instead, the bill requires all absentee ballots to be returned exclusively by mail. This directly affects local governments that currently operate drop boxes for voter convenience. The law would eliminate a common method for returning absentee ballots, requiring voters to mail their completed ballots instead.
Maddy summaryAB 625 requires state agencies to withhold 10-50% of certain homelessness program grants for at least 9 months. Service providers receiving these grants must demonstrate improved outcomes - like increased housing retention, job placement, or reduced homelessness returns - compared to a base year to receive the withheld funds. The bill mandates detailed reporting on program data and client outcomes, including housing stability metrics and demographic information. It directly affects organizations funded through specific homelessness grant programs under state statutes.
Maddy summaryAB 627 modifies licensing fees for animal-related businesses in Wisconsin. It creates three new market license classes: Class A ($420 annual fee) for markets selling livestock and wild animals, Class B ($220) for livestock-only sales with limited auctions, and Class E ($280) for equine-only sales (no wild animals or non-equine livestock). The bill also establishes a $20 annual fee for each animal transport vehicle and clarifies a $150 reinspection fee for violations. These changes directly affect animal market operators, dealers, truckers, and transport vehicle owners by adjusting their required annual fees and reinspection costs.
Maddy summaryAB 327 increases the empty weight limit for utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) from 3,000 pounds to 3,500 pounds under Wisconsin law. This change directly affects UTV operators and manufacturers by expanding the regulatory threshold for vehicles classified as UTVs (excluding golf carts, dune buggies, and tracked vehicles). The bill amends two sections of statutes to reflect this updated weight limit, which applies to vehicles originally manufactured with that weight capacity and designed primarily for off-highway use. The bill passed committee recommendations in November 2025 and is currently pending further legislative action.
Maddy summaryAB 222 establishes a $1.50 per gallon tax credit for producers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the state. The credit applies to SAF meeting a 90% renewable source requirement (from synthetic, renewable, and nonpetroleum sources like energy crops grown in the U.S.) and is available for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2027. Producers can claim the credit against state tax liability, but partnerships and similar entities cannot claim it directly - they must distribute credit eligibility to owners based on ownership shares. The bill also clarifies administrative rules and integrates the credit into existing tax code sections for consistency.
Maddy summaryAB 546 redefines "abortion" in state statutes to exclude specific medical procedures performed to save a pregnant woman's life when doctors make reasonable efforts to preserve both the mother's and unborn child's life. It clarifies that procedures like emergency cesareans, early inductions, or removal of dead embryos/fetuses - especially during ectopic, anembryonic, or molar pregnancies - do not count as abortion. The bill creates consistent definitions across multiple statutes (including 20.927, 48.375, and 69.01) to ensure these medical exceptions apply uniformly. It directly affects healthcare providers by clarifying legal boundaries for life-saving treatments during complex pregnancies. The bill does not restrict access to these procedures but explicitly defines them as non-abortion under the law.
Maddy summaryAB 574 updates Wisconsin's voter registration processes to improve accuracy by requiring election officials to verify voters' addresses using U.S. Postal Service data. It mandates that clerks remove voters from registration lists if they no longer reside at their registered address (e.g., when a postcard is returned or USPS data shows a change), and requires timely notifications to voters and election authorities about status changes. This affects all registered voters whose addresses need verification and election officials responsible for maintaining voter rolls. The bill streamlines existing procedures by standardizing address verification, removal triggers, and reporting requirements for voter registration lists.
Maddy summaryAB 545 prevents University of Wisconsin System institutions from charging students supplemental fees for exclusively online courses unless the fee covers specific, verifiable online costs or applies equally to in-person versions of the same course. It directly affects students enrolled in online courses at UW institutions, particularly non-resident students who might face higher fees. The bill adds a new requirement (36.27(1)(c)) that prohibits unjustified fees for online-only courses while allowing fees tied to actual online-specific expenses or those applied consistently to in-person equivalents. This policy change targets course-related charges, not tuition rates, and applies starting 30 days after the law takes effect.