Rep. Lisa Subeck

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 523 bans the sale, installation, or distribution of counterfeit airbags (fake parts with misleading marks) and nonfunctional airbags (previously deployed, damaged, or falsely labeled as working). It directly affects auto parts sellers, installers, and repair shops by prohibiting these practices, with limited exceptions for police vehicles, dealers without knowledge of issues, and insurance-related vehicle transfers. Violations carry fines up to $5,000 or up to one year in jail per offense, escalating to felony charges for repeat offenses or if harm or death results. The bill creates specific definitions for these airbag types and establishes penalties under existing statute 347.50.

Maddy summaryAB 395 requires school buses to be equipped with audiovisual recording devices to capture events during transportation. This mandate directly affects school districts and bus operators, who must install and maintain the devices. The key provision specifies that the recording systems must capture both audio and visual footage inside and around the bus, with data retention and privacy safeguards outlined in the bill. The legislation focuses on enhancing transparency during student transportation without specifying additional safety outcomes.

Maddy summaryAB 494 extends Wisconsin's research income tax credit carryover period from 15 to 50 taxable years. This change allows businesses that claim the credit but cannot fully use it in a single year to carry forward unused credits for up to five decades. The policy directly affects Wisconsin businesses eligible for the research tax credit, providing greater flexibility to offset future tax liabilities. The bill primarily modifies tax code sections (71.07 and 71.28) to implement this extended carryover period.

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.

Maddy summaryAB 656 eliminates a legal exception that previously protected spouses from prosecution for sex crimes against child spouses. It amends statutes 948.09 (sexual intercourse with a child age 16+) and 948.093 (underage sexual activity) to remove the provision stating these laws "do not apply if the child is the defendant’s spouse." This change directly affects individuals in marriages where one spouse was a minor at the time of marriage, making spousal relationships no longer a defense for sex crimes against children. The bill also updates marriage-related provisions, including allowing minors under 18 to file for divorce (767.185) and clarifying consent requirements for minors seeking marriage licenses.

Maddy summaryAB 240 creates a sales and use tax exemption for equipment used to train, manage, or control search and rescue dogs. It directly affects state and nationally recognized search and rescue agencies that deploy canines to locate missing persons or assist in disaster response. The bill exempts the cost of such equipment from state sales tax, reducing operational expenses for these agencies. This policy change provides immediate financial relief for agencies that rely on specialized dog teams in emergency operations.

Maddy summaryAB 607 creates new programs and modifies existing ones to address housing, homelessness, and related services in Wisconsin. It establishes a lead service line replacement program for water systems, creates an annual review process for homelessness services, and funds emergency rental assistance for households earning under 80% of county median income. The bill allocates $43 million for indigent civil legal services, $5 million for emergency rental assistance (2026-27), and $2.5 million for housing grants. These provisions directly affect low-income residents, homeless individuals, and service providers by expanding access to housing support, legal aid, and water infrastructure improvements.

Maddy summaryAB 158 modifies Wisconsin's worker's compensation rules for mental injuries (specifically PTSD) among certain public safety professionals. It adds emergency medical responders, emergency medical services practitioners, correctional officers, emergency dispatchers, coroners, medical examiners, and medicolegal investigation staff to the list of workers eligible for mental injury claims. The bill requires these claims to meet additional conditions to be compensable, specifically for mental injuries not accompanied by physical harm. This change affects how these essential public safety workers access benefits for work-related PTSD under Wisconsin's worker's compensation system.