Rep. Jerry O'Connor

Maddy summaryAB 312 sets standardized operating hours for in-person absentee ballot voting at local election offices (municipal clerks) and approved alternate sites. It directly affects voters who cast absentee ballots in person and local election officials managing these locations. The bill establishes specific, consistent hours for these locations to ensure accessible voting access, replacing variable or inconsistent schedules previously set by individual jurisdictions. This is a procedural change to improve clarity and convenience for voters using in-person absentee voting.

Maddy summaryAB 618 creates tax credits for nuclear energy facilities in Wisconsin, directly affecting electric utilities, cooperatives, municipal companies, and qualified wholesale providers. It provides a credit against income/franchise tax for wages paid to full-time nuclear facility workers (defined as 2,080 hours/year at 150% federal minimum wage) and capital expenditures for facility construction, maintenance, or operation (excluding land purchases). The credit can be transferred to other taxpayers subject to certain taxes, though partnerships and LLCs must pass the credit amount to owners rather than claiming it directly. The credit applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill, AB 390, aims to provide access to original impounded birth records. However, the provided context does not include the bill's specific provisions, mechanisms, or who it directly affects. Without the full text or committee summary, concrete policy details cannot be described. The bill is still in early committee stages (referred to Children and Families Committee, with a fiscal estimate received), but no substantive changes are outlined in the given information.

Maddy summaryAB 188 requires courts to reduce the 26% penalty surcharge proportionally when a fine or forfeiture is reduced or suspended. It applies to most state and local fines (excluding specific traffic violations, financial responsibility cases, and safety belt offenses). This ensures individuals with reduced fines pay a lower surcharge based on the adjusted amount. The bill directly affects people who have their fines lowered by courts, making the surcharge calculation automatic and fairer.

Maddy summaryAB 394 requires all California public school driver education programs to include specific instruction on school bus safety. This directly affects students enrolled in driver education courses, ensuring they learn about bus stopping procedures and blind spots. The bill mandates that curricula cover how to safely approach stopped school buses and recognize hazards around them. These changes aim to improve student awareness and safety when near school buses.

Maddy summaryAB 447 amends Wisconsin law to clarify when courts must address objections to video testimony in certain civil cases. It removes a specific exception that previously required courts to sustain objections about expert witness testimony via video in cases under Chapters 51 or 55 of the statutes. For all such proceedings - including expert testimony objections - the bill requires courts to apply their discretion under existing rules (s. 885.56) rather than automatically sustaining objections. This change directly affects defendants and respondents in civil matters listed under the statute who may object to remote testimony.

Maddy summaryAB 488 adds soybean-derived fire suppression products to the list of eligible costs for state fire safety grants. The bill specifically allows grant recipients to purchase these products using funds from existing fire suppression grant programs. This change directly affects state agencies, local fire departments, or organizations applying for these grants, making soybean-based fire suppression materials a qualifying expense.

Maddy summaryAB 351 requires health insurance companies to accept virtual credit card payments for premium payments. It directly affects policyholders who pay premiums and insurers who process those payments. The key provision adds virtual credit cards as a valid payment method, alongside traditional cards or electronic transfers. This change aims to provide consumers with more flexible payment options for their health insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryAB 675 prohibits noncompete clauses that restrict medical practitioners from working for more than 24 consecutive months after beginning employment. It also makes all noncompete agreements void if a medical practitioner’s employment is terminated by their employer. The bill applies to physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, and advanced practice nurses (including certified nurse prescribers and registered nurses). New or modified employment contracts after the law’s effective date must comply with these restrictions.

Maddy summaryAB 193 ratifies Wisconsin's participation in the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, an agreement allowing respiratory care practitioners licensed in one participating state to practice in Wisconsin without obtaining a new license. This bill amends Wisconsin statutes to recognize "respiratory care compact privileges," enabling out-of-state practitioners to work across state lines under the compact's terms. It affects respiratory care practitioners seeking to work in Wisconsin from other compact states, streamlining licensure for those already certified elsewhere. The bill does not create new practice standards but facilitates cross-state practice through existing interstate agreement terms.