Rep. Alex Joers

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).

Maddy summaryAB 733 requires state prisons and county jails to provide inmates with minimum weekly hours of recreational activities and structured programming. State facilities must offer 21-35 hours weekly (depending on staffing levels), prioritizing education, job training, reentry planning, and wellness programs. County jails must provide at least 10 hours weekly starting 31 days into confinement, increasing to 21-35 hours after 90 days if staffing meets thresholds. Exceptions allow temporary reductions during lockdowns or solitary confinement, limited to 10 consecutive days.

Maddy summaryAB 723 establishes minimum bathing requirements for inmates in state correctional facilities and county jails. It mandates that state facilities provide at least four 15-minute bathing periods weekly, including 10 minutes of heated running water, while county jails must meet the same standard. The bill directly affects all inmates in these facilities by setting concrete, measurable hygiene standards. It requires the state department of corrections and county sheriffs to implement these provisions, with no additional exemptions or cost details specified in the current text.

Maddy summaryAB 734 establishes specific temperature standards for state correctional institutions and county jails, requiring indoor temperatures to stay between 68°F and 76°F at all times in housing units. It mandates facilities to record temperatures in common areas and random cells during extreme weather (below 10°F or above 90°F) and submit annual reports to the legislature. The bill appropriates $65 million for 2026-27 to install and operate heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, with phased implementation: one-third of facilities by 2029, another third by 2031, and the final third by 2035. This directly affects all state prisons and county jails/houses of correction in Wisconsin, requiring them to meet new climate control requirements and report compliance data.

Maddy summaryAB 725 requires state prisons and county jails to notify designated family members within 24 hours when an inmate faces restrictions affecting visits or communication (like solitary confinement). It also mandates an online public dashboard updated every 48 hours, showing current restrictions (with reasons and duration), solitary confinement numbers broken down by reason, and total inmate counts. The bill funds these systems with $780,000 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $275,000 for 2026-27, plus temporary staff to implement them. These changes directly affect inmates, their families, and correctional facilities by increasing transparency around restrictive practices.

Maddy summaryAB 726 requires all inmates in state correctional institutions and county jails to be paid a minimum wage of at least the hourly rate specified in statute 104.035(3)(a)1, with an immediate $2.33 per hour increase effective upon enactment. The bill mandates that wages must be based on productivity but cannot fall below this minimum rate, applies to all labor performed by inmates, and prohibits wage reductions without board approval. It also appropriates $58.9 million for 2025-26 and $88.4 million for 2026-27 to cover the increased inmate wages in state facilities, plus smaller sums for correctional enterprises. The law directly affects incarcerated individuals by guaranteeing a minimum wage for their labor, while ensuring funds are allocated to cover these new payment obligations.

Maddy summaryAB 729 requires all state correctional institutions and county jails to install transparent windows in inmate cells by October 2030 that are at least 1.5 square feet and provide 92% visibility to the outdoors. It mandates that every inmate must have access to view outdoors through such windows for at least 3 hours daily (unless in lockdown or solitary), achievable via time outdoors, in-cell viewing, or shared facility windows. The bill directly affects all state prisons and county jails in the state, requiring physical modifications to cell structures. Funding of $500,000 for 2025-26 and $3 million for 2026-27 is allocated specifically for window installation under this law.

Maddy summaryAB 741 requires state correctional facilities and county jails to provide inmates with access to essential personal hygiene products at capped prices based on a leading retail chain's sales. It mandates commissaries to sell 18 standard items (like soap, toothpaste, and razors) at no more than 125% of retail price, plus culturally specific items (e.g., hair products for diverse hair types and cocoa-butter lotion) at no more than 100% of retail price. The bill also provides a $25 monthly stipend for state inmates immediately and for county jail inmates after 91 days of confinement to purchase these products. This legislation, funded by a $6.45 million annual appropriation, directly affects all inmates in state prisons and county detention facilities.

Maddy summaryAB 745 creates a new eligibility category for state reimbursement of military funeral honors costs, specifically for individuals who were naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 and were residing in the state at the time of death. It requires the state department to reimburse certified veteran organizations for providing military funeral honors, with a maximum payment of $85 per funeral (adjusted annually for inflation based on the U.S. consumer price index). The bill directly affects families of qualifying Hmong veterans who served in the U.S. military and were naturalized under the 2000 federal law. This establishes a clear reimbursement mechanism for organizations providing these honors, replacing the previous $50 limit with an inflation-adjusted $85 cap.

Maddy summaryAB 731 requires state and county correctional facilities to provide inmates and juveniles with minimum weekly telecommunications access at no cost, including 180 minutes of phone calls, 60 minutes of video calls, and 100 text messages. It directly affects individuals in state prisons, juvenile correctional facilities, and county jails by mandating these service levels, which must be maintained or improved from existing access levels. The bill establishes funding through specific appropriations ($4.46 million for adult inmates, $517,500 for juveniles) and requires counties to join a state telecommunications contract or report why they don’t, with the state reimbursing counties for costs if they opt out. It also prohibits using telecom services to replace in-person visitation and bans charging inmates for services beyond the minimums.