Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez

Maddy summaryAB 654 creates a public information campaign to reduce aggressive driving behaviors like excessive speeding, illegal racing, and fleeing police. The bill allocates $500,000 over two fiscal years ($250,000 annually) for the campaign, which must run for 1-2 years and prioritize areas with the highest incidents of such driving. It requires using billboards, radio, TV, and digital ads, while prioritizing local contractors and featuring stories from affected individuals like young drivers and families. The campaign targets high-risk drivers and must partner with community organizations to influence behavior, without making specific policy changes to traffic laws.

Maddy summaryAB 367 exempts minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) from standard labor laws requiring minimum wage, overtime pay, and detailed recordkeeping. Specifically, it creates new exemptions in state labor statutes for players whose CBAs explicitly define their wages and working conditions. Employers are no longer required to track these players' hours or maintain standard payroll records. The bill applies only to players under such CBAs, not to all minor league athletes. This is a procedural change to labor law exemptions, not a new pay standard.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Wisconsin's retirement system rules for state retirees who return to work. It allows retirees who rejoin state employment (after a 75-day separation) to choose whether to keep their retirement annuity for up to 60 months, instead of having it automatically suspended. If they elect to keep the annuity, their new employer must pay equivalent retirement contributions to the system. The policy directly affects state retirees returning to jobs where they work at least two-thirds full-time, while ensuring retirement fund contributions remain intact.

Maddy summaryAB 671 mandates the Department of Administration to study redundant federal, state, and local requirements for constructing new housing (including single-family, duplex, and multifamily units). The study must identify overlapping or unnecessary rules and submit a report with legislative recommendations within one year of the bill's effective date. This bill does not create new laws but directs a formal review to potentially streamline housing construction regulations. It directly affects future legislative decisions on housing policy, not current construction practices.

Maddy summaryAJR 109 is a symbolic joint resolution honoring Wisconsin's Hispanic and Latino veterans. It formally recognizes their service and sacrifices throughout U.S. military history, including specific references to the Borinqueneers unit and General Richard Cavazos. The resolution expresses the Wisconsin Legislature's gratitude through a formal statement, acknowledging these veterans' contributions without creating new programs or altering laws. This is a commemorative gesture, not a policy change, and directly affects no individuals or entities through legislative action.

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 667 prohibits law enforcement agencies from paying third parties or government entities for access to an individual's personal data without a warrant. The bill defines "personal data" broadly to include names, location, financial records, health information, browsing history, and device identifiers. It allows exceptions only when a warrant is obtained, during emergencies involving immediate danger, if data is already public, or with the individual's explicit consent. This law directly affects law enforcement agencies and data-sharing companies by restricting how personal information can be acquired for investigations.

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 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 653 creates a state-funded program to improve safety at high-risk intersections. It directs the Department of Transportation to provide local governments (cities and counties) with funding for safety upgrades at signalized and stop-sign intersections with excessive crash rates. The program prioritizes intersections in the 10% of counties with the worst crash records from 2019-2024 data, using $6 million in new annual funding. This directly affects local governments managing highways by enabling them to apply for grants or reimbursements for intersection safety improvements.