Rep. Karen Kirsch

Maddy summaryAB 641 creates a dedicated $500,000 annual appropriation for the University of Wisconsin Missing-in-Action (MIA) Recovery and Identification Project within the 2025-27 fiscal biennium. The bill directly affects Wisconsin veterans missing in action by funding their recovery and identification efforts through the University of Wisconsin System. It requires the UW Board of Regents to allocate funds annually for this mission and mandates a detailed report on findings and spending to state legislative committees, the governor, and veterans agencies. The legislation establishes a continuing funding mechanism without altering existing veterans' benefits or services.

Maddy summaryAB 173 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) by requiring them to disclose formulary details and drug costs to health plans and patients before enrollment. It prohibits PBMs or insurers from penalizing patients for choosing specific pharmacies within a network or charging different fees for the same pharmacy services. The bill also mandates advance written notice (at least 90 days) to patients when drugs are removed from formularies or moved to higher-cost tiers, including exception request procedures. These changes directly affect PBMs, health insurance plans, and patients covered by those plans, aiming to increase transparency and choice in prescription drug coverage.

Maddy summaryAJR 108 proposes adding a constitutional amendment to guarantee equality of rights under state law, prohibiting discrimination by state or local government based on characteristics like sex, gender identity, race, disability, religion, or other immutable traits. It would create a new right for individuals to directly sue the state or local government in court if their rights under this amendment are violated. This amendment, if approved, would establish a constitutional standard for equality and provide a legal path for people to seek remedies when state actors deny them equal treatment.

Maddy summaryAB 437 requires large retailers (those with over $3 million in annual consumer goods sales) to include the total tariff cost on every sales invoice or receipt. This means customers will see the exact amount of tariffs or import taxes added to their purchase price at checkout. The law applies to both paper and electronic documents and affects only businesses meeting the sales threshold. It mandates clear disclosure without changing current tariff rates or policies.

Maddy summaryAB 498 provides $1 million in biennial funding to help licensed child care centers purchase and maintain automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The bill creates a grant program administered by the Department of Children and Families, allowing centers to apply for funding to cover AED costs. To qualify, centers must contribute at least 33% of the grant amount in matching funds. This policy directly affects licensed child care centers by making AEDs more accessible for emergency cardiac care.

Maddy summaryAB 620 requires teachers and administrators in Wisconsin's parental choice programs and Special Needs Scholarship Program to hold state teaching licenses starting July 1, 2027. Schools may employ educators with at least five years of prior experience (as of July 1, 2027) under a temporary, nonrenewable waiver until July 1, 2032. The law creates a process for these educators to apply for waivers while working toward full licensure, with the state department developing implementing rules. It applies specifically to private schools participating in these state-funded education choice programs.

Maddy summaryAB 622 amends Wisconsin's unemployment insurance law to extend the period during which job seekers may refuse work without losing benefits from 6 to 10 weeks after becoming unemployed. It clarifies that workers who quit jobs they could have refused (e.g., due to unsafe conditions) may still qualify for benefits within this 10-week window, regardless of their stated reason for leaving. The bill also updates the definition for "suitable work" in the 7th-11th week of unemployment to require wages above the lowest wage quartile for similar jobs in the area. These changes directly affect unemployed workers applying for benefits and the Department of Workforce Development’s eligibility determinations.

Maddy summaryAB 637 requires private postsecondary schools in the state to derive at least 20% of their annual revenue from non-federal sources in two out of their three most recent fiscal years to enroll state residents. This applies directly to private colleges and universities seeking to admit students who live in the state. The bill defines "annual revenue" and "federal funds" specifically and grants the state education department authority to create implementing rules. The requirement will take effect for the 2028-29 academic year.

Maddy summaryAB 638 requires private postsecondary schools seeking state approval (or renewal) to maintain a reserve fund equal to 25% of their highest annual revenue over the past five years (or projected first-year revenue for new schools). This fund protects students if schools commit fraud, fail to deliver promised education services, or close unexpectedly. Schools must also pay a $3 student protection fee for every $1,000 of their annual revenue, with fee collection stopping once the fund exceeds $5 million. The bill directly affects private colleges operating in the state, creating a financial safety net for students through mandatory reserves and a fee-based fund.

Maddy summaryAB 635 requires the state environmental department to notify county health departments, tribal health departments, and county land conservation departments within 7 business days whenever groundwater protection standards or PFAS standards are exceeded. The bill creates a formal notification system to alert affected local governments and adjacent counties that might face negative impacts, with notices available for public review under state law. This law directly affects local health and land management agencies in counties where water contamination breaches are confirmed, ensuring timely public awareness of groundwater safety issues.