Rep. Karen Kirsch

Maddy summaryAB 769 creates a new grant program to fund food waste reduction pilot projects, allocating $100,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The grants support projects focused on preventing food waste, redirecting surplus food to hunger relief organizations, and composting food waste. The Department of Agriculture must prioritize proposals serving low-income census tracts (below statewide median income) without grocery stores. The bill also authorizes the department to create rules for administering the program. This directly affects local pilot projects and hunger relief organizations in underserved communities.

Maddy summaryAB 773 requires correctional facilities to provide specific care for incarcerated pregnant and postpartum individuals (within 6 weeks of birth). It prohibits unnecessary restraints on these individuals except in extreme safety circumstances, mandating written documentation and staff training. Facilities must offer pregnancy testing, STI/HIV screening, continuing medication, doula/lactation support (if available at no cost), mental health assessments, and breastfeeding supplies. The bill directly affects all pregnant or postpartum people held in state prisons or jails, ensuring access to healthcare and support services during incarceration.

Maddy summaryAB 735 creates a centralized online clearinghouse for Wisconsin small businesses, requiring the state Department to compile and publish key information on a single website. The clearinghouse will include details on government contract bidding opportunities, economic development programs, business training/events, licensing/permit requirements, and tax/fee obligations from state and local agencies. This bill directly affects Wisconsin small businesses by making it easier to access government resources and compliance information in one place. The clearinghouse will be coordinated with agencies like the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Department of Revenue.

Maddy summaryAB 809 prohibits state and local government funding for investigations into pregnancy outcomes (like miscarriage or stillbirth) when treating the person as a crime suspect. It bans law enforcement from investigating individuals as suspects solely due to their own pregnancy outcomes, requiring consent before investigating cases involving others' pregnancy outcomes. The bill exempts women from civil or criminal liability for pregnancy outcomes (including miscarriage, abortion, or stillbirth) and amends statutes to clarify that abortion-related legal protections apply. It directly affects women experiencing pregnancy outcomes, law enforcement agencies, and health services (with limited exceptions for health investigations). The bill creates new legal protections by restricting investigations and eliminating liability for pregnancy-related events.

Maddy summaryAB 811 creates a $25 million annual grant program for businesses opening new locations or expanding into vacant commercial spaces, administered by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). It directly affects eligible businesses in commercial districts, continuing a similar program from June 2023 while explicitly excluding nonprofit organizations from receiving grants. The bill allocates $25 million for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years to fund these "Main Street Bounceback Grants" through WEDC's existing grant framework. Key provisions require WEDC to follow eligibility rules nearly identical to the prior "Wisconsin Tomorrow" program, focusing on revitalizing underutilized commercial properties.

Maddy summaryAB 797 creates a $2.5 million grant program to help counties, cities, and towns test privately owned wells for water quality and map well locations. It provides up to $10,000 per grant for well testing, groundwater assessment, and geologic studies, plus separate grants for county health departments to offer well-testing education. The bill also requires municipalities with private wells to inform residents about testing importance and exempts the department from standard emergency rule procedures for implementing this program. The law appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support these concrete actions.

Maddy summaryAB 804 establishes two new grant programs: a $200,000 annual "Farm to Fork" grant for non-school entities (like businesses, hospitals, or universities with cafeterias) to connect local farms with food service operations, and a $250,000 annual "Farm to School" grant for school districts to expand local food sourcing. The bill prioritizes innovative proposals, high-need schools (where many students qualify for free/reduced meals), and projects supporting value-added agricultural products. It requires the Agriculture Department to administer the grants, provide annual legislative reports, and create rules for implementation. The legislation also adds one dedicated staff position to manage the Farm to Fork program.

Maddy summaryAB 754 requires most health insurance plans and disability policies covering preventive care to cover home test kits for sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), including HIV. It mandates coverage when a healthcare provider deems the test medically necessary and orders it directly or through a standing order. The law defines "home test kits" as products meeting CDC or FDA guidelines, allowing self-collection outside clinical settings. This applies to plans covering primary care or preventive services, including laboratory processing costs for approved kits.

Maddy summaryAJR 3 is a symbolic resolution that officially recognizes January 2025 as "Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month" in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but aims to raise public awareness about human trafficking, highlighting its prevalence across all 72 Wisconsin counties and its impact on vulnerable groups like youth and individuals with disabilities. The resolution aligns with broader state and national efforts to combat trafficking through education and community engagement. As a procedural resolution, it focuses solely on designation and awareness, with no direct policy changes or obligations for state agencies.

Maddy summaryAB 62 establishes a Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board to address prescription drug costs. The board, with members representing pharmaceutical companies, health insurers, healthcare providers, and the public, must meet quarterly and avoid conflicts of interest. Key provisions include creating a $500,000 annual grant program for healthcare providers to develop tools showing patients the cost of prescriptions (Section 601.415), launching a diabetes medication pilot project (Section 601.41), and repealing a section requiring copayments for certain Medicaid services (Section 7). This bill directly affects insurers, pharmacies, drug manufacturers, and healthcare providers who must disclose drug costs to patients.