Rep. Mike Bare

Maddy summaryAB 944 creates a state grant program to fund municipalities' purchases of election supplies and equipment, such as electronic poll books and accessibility tools. It allocates $5 million biennially (split equally for 2025-26 and 2026-27), with funding amounts tiered by municipal population size: up to $2.5 million for cities over 250,000, $1 million for 100,000-250,000, $500,000 for 50,000-100,000, and $250,000 for smaller cities. Municipalities must apply 180 days before elections and agree to random inspections of grant-funded equipment, with a minimum $250 grant per recipient. The bill directly affects all cities and towns in the state based on their population, providing targeted funding for election infrastructure.

Maddy summaryAB 909 creates a joint legislative steering committee to conduct a state-wide study of data sharing practices across government agencies. The committee will hire an external firm to assess current data management systems, identify barriers to efficient data sharing, and recommend improvements like standardized frameworks or an enterprise data office. The study must evaluate best practices from other states and identify high-value use cases for better data collaboration. The committee must submit its final report with recommendations by December 31, 2026, to the legislature. This bill focuses on improving internal government efficiency through data standardization, not on direct policy changes affecting the public.

Maddy summaryAB 976 clarifies how tax credits for low-income housing projects are claimed by business entities. It modifies rules so partnerships, limited liability companies, and tax-option corporations cannot claim the credit directly; instead, their members or shareholders (including insurers who are part of such entities) may claim it based on the entity's eligible costs. The bill requires entities to calculate and distribute credit amounts to members/shareholders, with specific allocation rules for ownership interests or written agreements. It directly affects housing developers, investors, and insurers involved in low-income housing projects financed through tax-exempt bonds in the state. The changes standardize credit allocation across multiple tax code sections without altering eligibility or credit amounts.

Maddy summaryAB 730 mandates that inmates in state correctional facilities and county jails must be allowed at least two in-person visiting periods per week, with limited exceptions for lockdowns (up to 10 days). It requires facilities to allow inmates to designate up to 25 visitors, permits physical embraces for 20 seconds at the start and end of visits, and provides visitors with paper and writing supplies upon request. Inmates may keep original artwork or notes created during visits using facility-provided materials. The bill directly affects incarcerated individuals and their visitors, while setting clear operational requirements for correctional departments and sheriffs.

Maddy summaryAB 727 requires state prison leaders and county jail officials to provide inmates with 3 hours of outdoor access weekly, starting after specific waiting periods. For state prisons, this applies to most inmates after 91 days (except those in certain facilities under Section 302.01(1)(i)), while county jails must provide access after 31 days. Exceptions include inmates in lockdowns or solitary confinement. The law takes effect for the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility on January 1, 2028, with broader implementation following. This policy directly affects incarcerated individuals in state and county correctional facilities across the state.

Maddy summaryAB 743 adds post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed from military service as a potential mitigating factor in sentencing for veterans convicted of crimes. It specifically applies to veterans (defined as those who served in U.S. armed forces) who have a documented PTSD diagnosis linked to their military service. Courts may now consider this PTSD diagnosis when determining sentences, potentially leading to reduced penalties. The bill takes effect for offenses committed after it becomes law.

Maddy summaryAB 739 prohibits state and local government agencies, including law enforcement, from detaining individuals solely based on their immigration status. It specifically bans officials from aiding federal immigration enforcement efforts that target people for being undocumented, while allowing access to facilities under valid judicial warrants. The bill also prohibits state or local governments from entering into or continuing agreements with the federal government that enable local police to enforce federal immigration law (such as 8 USC 1357(g) agreements). This directly affects all state agencies, local governments, and law enforcement entities in the state by restricting their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The law creates new restrictions on state and local actions, not on federal policies.

Maddy summaryAB 744 would provide free vehicle access to Wisconsin state parks for veterans and gold star families. The bill creates a new statute allowing any vehicle (excluding motor buses) occupied by a veteran - verified using the federal definition in 38 USC 101 - or a family member meeting gold star lapel button criteria (per 10 USC 1126) to enter parks without paying admission fees. It directly affects eligible veterans and surviving family members of service members who died in combat. The policy change removes a fee requirement for these groups when entering parks by private vehicle, with proof of eligibility required at the park entrance. The bill is currently in committee review after its December 2025 introduction.

Maddy summaryAB 728 creates a new statute (302.47) requiring immediate access (less than 24 hours' notice) for specific oversight personnel to visit correctional facilities. It directly affects state legislators on relevant committees and county employees overseeing jail operations, granting them access to residential areas, cells, dining areas, and prisoner discussions. Facilities may deny immediate access only between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. (with daytime access within 72 hours) or if the requester has exceeded 12 annual visits. The bill aims to enhance transparency by enabling regular oversight visits without unnecessary delays.

Maddy summaryAB 724 requires the Department of Corrections to create a public, interactive website that updates complaint data from state correctional institutions every 72 hours. The system must display the total annual complaints per facility and show all complaint details broken down by category (without personal information about inmates or staff). The bill appropriates $70,000 for fiscal year 2025-26 to establish the system and $30,000 for 2026-27 to operate it. This affects state correctional institutions (which must submit data) and the public (which gains access to the searchable complaint information).