Rep. Angela Stroud

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program called "Grow Your Own" to help Wisconsin schools recruit and train new teachers. The program would provide up to $5 million annually starting in the 2026-27 school year to school districts and charter schools for costs related to teacher development initiatives. These initiatives could include high school clubs that encourage teaching careers, paying for current staff to earn licensure, supporting dual enrollment pathways, and offering incentives for paraprofessionals to become licensed teachers. The Department of Public Instruction would administer the grants and establish rules for how schools apply for and use the funding.

Maddy summaryAB 1061 legalizes recreational cannabis possession and establishes a regulatory framework for cannabis production, sales, and medical use in Wisconsin. It directly affects individuals with past marijuana-related convictions (by creating a review unit to expunge these records), cannabis businesses (through new licensing and regulations), and state agencies (by creating a Division of Cannabis Regulation under the Department of Agriculture). Key provisions include allocating $30 million annually for regulatory operations, establishing medical cannabis registry fees, creating a $5 million fund for conviction reviews, and repealing outdated marijuana criminal penalties. The bill also introduces new taxes on cannabis sales to fund these programs and public health research.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates manoomin as the official state native grain of Wisconsin by adding a new section to the state statutes. It requires the Wisconsin Blue Book to include information about manoomin alongside other official state symbols like the state song and tree. The legislation does not change any laws or regulations but serves as a symbolic designation to recognize the cultural significance of this grain.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans and self-insured state and local health plans to cover vaccines for children from birth to age six that are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the CDC withdraws a vaccine recommendation, the bill mandates that these plans continue to cover the vaccine based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American Academy of Family Physicians. The legislation also directs the state immunization program to consider recommendations from these medical organizations when deciding which diseases to target for elimination. Additionally, the bill requires healthcare providers to maintain records of vaccine administration, including the manufacturer, lot number, and administering provider information.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers in Wisconsin to provide reasonable break time and specific accommodations for breastfeeding employees with children under one year of age. Employers must offer a private space shielded from view and free from intrusion, along with access to electrical outlets, running water, and a refrigerator for storing breast milk. The law applies to all employers, including state and local government agencies, but includes an exception for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees if compliance would cause undue hardship. Employees cannot be discriminated against or retaliated against for taking these breaks, and violations can be reported to the department for enforcement. The bill also clarifies how unpaid break time affects health care coverage eligibility and when it counts as paid work time.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the building commission to allocate $1,000,000 from state building trust funds to develop preliminary plans for expanding mother-young child care facilities within the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. The funding is intended to evaluate infrastructure needs and design specifications for a prison nursery program that would allow eligible incarcerated women and their infants to reside together in correctional institutions. The bill focuses on establishing physical spaces and support systems to enable bonding, breastfeeding, and healthy infant development for mothers and children in custody. This measure requires no new operational funding but authorizes planning work to prepare for potential future program expansion. The legislation was introduced in the 2026 Wisconsin Legislature and referred to the Corrections Committee for review.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a one-year cooling-off period preventing former state legislators from working as lobbyists immediately after leaving office. It applies to any individual who served as a member of the legislature and prohibits their employment in lobbying roles for 12 months following the end of their term. The provision is designed to prevent potential conflicts of interest by ensuring a separation between legislative duties and lobbying activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill formally declares February 2026 as Black History Month in Wisconsin. It directly affects state government officials and the public by establishing an official recognition of the month. The resolution includes historical context about African American contributions to the state and specifically honors eight individuals for their achievements in civil rights, public service, education, and community leadership. The bill does not create new laws or funding but serves as a commemorative proclamation to acknowledge and celebrate the heritage and contributions of people of African descent.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state minimum wage schedule that gradually increases from $15 per hour in 2026 to $20 per hour by 2030, with slightly lower rates for small employers defined as those with 50 or fewer employees. It also sets specific minimum wage rates for tipped employees, which increase more slowly over the same period. Beginning in 2031, the state department of labor gains authority to adjust the minimum wage annually based on changes in the consumer price index. The bill also grants the department power to create rules for special categories of workers, including agricultural employees, students, and those with disabilities, while exempting certain types of casual employment from minimum wage requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program to provide grants to small dairy farms with fewer than 1,000 milking cows, aiming to help them improve operational efficiency and resilience. The program would be funded by a $1.5 million appropriation and administered by the Department of Agriculture, which would have the authority to create rules for managing the grants. Eligible dairy producers could use the funding for projects designed to strengthen their farms against economic or environmental challenges. The legislation creates two new sections in the state statutes to outline the program's structure and funding.