Rep. Angela Stroud

Maddy summaryAB 341 creates a $5 million annual grant program to help prospective school social workers cover education costs for licensure. It specifically targets individuals who are members of racial minority groups (including Black Americans, American Indians, Hispanic individuals, Asian/Pacific Islanders, or multiracial people) and are either school employees or enrolled in relevant graduate programs. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will administer the grants and establish rules to implement the program. The bill allocates funding for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years, with implementation starting after the 2025 budget act is published.

Maddy summaryAB 342 creates a $5 million annual grant program for school districts to hire mental health professionals who are members of racial minority groups. The bill defines "racial minority group" to include Black Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Hispanic individuals, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and multiracial people. School districts receiving grants must use funds specifically to hire qualified professionals from these groups. The Department of Public Instruction will administer the program and establish rules for implementation, with funding allocated for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years.

Maddy summaryAB 359 prohibits licensed mental health professionals from providing conversion therapy to individuals under 18 years old. The bill defines conversion therapy as any attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, while explicitly excluding supportive counseling for gender transition, general acceptance, or safety-focused interventions. Violations could lead to disciplinary actions by licensing boards, including license suspension, revocation, or limitations on practice. This law directly affects minors under 18 and mental health professionals licensed under chapters 448, 455, or 457 of the statutes.

Maddy summaryAB 361 eliminates specific criminal defenses in cases where a defendant claims they acted due to the victim's gender identity or sexual orientation. The bill amends statutes to prevent defendants from using "adequate provocation," "self-defense," or "not guilty by reason of mental disease" as justifications if the claim relates to the victim's actual or perceived gender identity, expression, or sexual orientation. This specifically blocks defenses in situations like when the victim made a romantic advance without force or when the defendant and victim dated. The law applies to offenses committed on its effective date and directly affects defendants in criminal cases involving these specific circumstances.

Maddy summaryAJR 79 is a ceremonial joint resolution recognizing June 2025 as LGBTQ Pride Month in Wisconsin. It formally acknowledges the state’s historical support for LGBTQ rights - including being the first to pass anti-discrimination laws in 1982 - and highlights ongoing community efforts, though it does not create new policies or affect specific groups. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal force or binding requirements.

Maddy summaryAB 339 creates a state-funded program to reimburse school districts and charter schools for comprehensive mental health services provided to students during school and after-school hours, starting in the 2025-26 school year. Eligible services include mental health literacy programs, parent training, community partnerships, mental health navigators, and telehealth setup costs, while excluding direct treatment services, insurance deductibles, and regular school operating expenses. The program allocates $83.8 million for each of the next two fiscal years, with reimbursement capped at either $100,000 per school or $100 per enrolled student. This funding aims to expand accessible mental health support within schools without requiring new taxes or fees.

Maddy summaryAB 355 removes specific restrictions on abortion access and requires certain health insurance plans to cover abortion care without cost-sharing. It directly affects patients seeking abortion services and health insurers offering coverage under specified plans. Key provisions eliminate mandatory waiting periods and counseling requirements, while mandating coverage for abortion services in state-regulated health insurance plans. This policy change aims to improve access by removing regulatory barriers and ensuring insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryAB 376 repeals key sections of Wisconsin retirement law that required retirees (annuitants) rehired by state agencies to suspend their retirement payments. Specifically, it removes provisions (40.26(1m), 40.26(5m), and 40.26(6)) that mandated annuity suspension when retirees returned to state employment. The bill also amends related statutes to clarify that rehired retirees no longer automatically trigger payment suspension under previous rules. This change directly affects state retirees who return to work for participating employers and the state agencies that employ them. The policy shift simplifies the process by eliminating the requirement to suspend retirement benefits upon rehiring.

Maddy summaryAB 267 requires Wisconsin state parks to waive all daily admission fees (including any issuing fees) on April 22 each year, commemorating Earth Day and its founder, Gaylord Nelson. This policy directly affects all visitors to Wisconsin state parks on April 22, making entry free on that specific date. The bill creates a new statutory provision (27.01(9)(b)) that mandates this automatic fee waiver annually. It does not change existing fee structures outside of Earth Day or create new funding obligations.

Maddy summaryAB 17 creates tax incentives to encourage business transitions to employee ownership. It provides a credit covering 70% of conversion costs (up to $100,000) for worker-owned cooperatives and 50% (up to $100,000) for employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), plus a deduction for capital gains tax on business transfers to these models. The bill directly affects business owners in Wisconsin who convert their companies to employee ownership structures, requiring employee ownership to exceed 50% to qualify. It also establishes an education program to support these transitions, aiming to make such conversions more financially accessible.