Rep. Scott Allen

Maddy summaryAssembly Bill 11 mandates that hospitals must obtain written informed consent from a patient before a pelvic examination is performed solely for educational purposes while the patient is under general anesthesia or otherwise unconscious. This bill creates a new statute requiring hospitals to ensure this consent is secured. Additionally, it directs hospitals to establish and maintain written policies and procedures that enforce this requirement for educational pelvic exams on unconscious patients.

Maddy summaryAB 292 allows courts to use artificial intelligence or machine-assisted translation services instead of or alongside human interpreters in both civil and criminal court proceedings. It also updates rules to permit telephone or live audiovisual interpretation in criminal trials (beyond just non-trial stages) and clarifies that using AI translation does not require a waiver that would normally be needed for alternative interpretation methods. This bill directly affects court proceedings involving language barriers, expanding options for language assistance without mandating AI use. The law amends specific statutes to implement these changes, focusing on procedural flexibility for courts.

Maddy summaryAB 163 requires regular eligibility reviews for the Medical Assistance program (a public health benefits program) every six months, replacing automatic renewals. Recipients must report changes affecting their benefits within 10 days or face a six-month loss of coverage. The bill mandates state agencies to cross-check public benefit databases against death records and other state databases (like employment or prison records) every three months to remove deceased individuals and verify eligibility. It also establishes data-sharing agreements between agencies to confirm applicant information using sources like federal benefit records, with all eligibility reviews required to be completed by January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryAB 40 establishes a competitive grant program to fund school safety improvements and security training for school personnel. It allocates $30 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year to public, private, and tribal schools, with a maximum grant of $20,000 per school. The program prioritizes schools that have not previously received similar grants under Section 165.88 and requires annual reports to the Joint Committee on Finance. Grants must be awarded by June 30, 2027, after which no new funding will be issued.

Maddy summaryAJR 8 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit the governor's partial veto power on budget bills. It would prevent the governor from rejecting small parts of a bill (like single words or sentences) and require that any vetoed section must be a complete, standalone law that can function independently. The bill specifically targets appropriation bills, restricting the governor to vetoing entire sections that are capable of separate enactment. This is a proposed constitutional change, not a law, and would need voter approval to take effect. The amendment aims to reduce the governor's ability to alter budget bills through partial vetoes.

Maddy summaryAB 71 changes how school districts in Wisconsin can seek voter approval to exceed their standard operating budget limits. It requires school boards to adopt a resolution specifying whether excess funds are for recurring (ongoing) or nonrecurring (one-time) purposes, and limits such resolutions to four years. Voters must approve these requests via referendum, with ballots clearly stating the amount for nonrecurring uses. Crucially, if approved for recurring purposes, the excess amount becomes part of the next year's budget base; for nonrecurring purposes, it does not affect future budget limits. This bill directly affects school districts seeking to fund additional programs beyond their regular budget without voter approval.

Maddy summaryAB 172 creates a new consumer data protection law by defining key terms like "personal data," "biometric data," "sale of personal data," and "consumer" in section 100.80 of the statutes. This bill directly affects businesses that collect or process personal data of state residents, requiring them to follow standardized handling practices for such data. The law includes penalty provisions for violations, though specific penalty amounts and enforcement details are not provided in the available bill text.

Maddy summaryAB 53 amends Wisconsin law to classify intentionally causing bodily harm or threatening harm to a community service officer (or their family) as a Class H felony under specific conditions. It directly affects community service officers and their families by creating a new felony charge when the harm occurs in response to the officer's official duties. The bill requires that the perpetrator knew the victim was a community service officer (or family member) and that the act was retaliation for an official action taken by the officer. This policy change strengthens criminal penalties for attacks targeting these officers during their work, without altering existing protections for other law enforcement roles.

Maddy summaryAJR 72 is a ceremonial resolution that officially recognizes June 19, 2025, as Juneteenth Day in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or policies but formally declares this date to honor the historical significance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States following Union troops' arrival in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. The resolution acknowledges Wisconsin’s longstanding Juneteenth observance, including Milwaukee’s celebration beginning in 1971. As a symbolic gesture, it has no legal effect beyond promoting awareness of this historical milestone.

Maddy summaryAB 330 establishes clear deadlines and transparency requirements for handling complaints about voting system compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA). It requires Wisconsin's Election Commission to acknowledge complaints within 5 business days, make final decisions within 89 days, and hold public hearings with recorded proceedings. The bill mandates that the Commission must take corrective action for valid complaints and publish dismissal details online and to the legislature. It directly affects the Commission's administrative process for resolving voting-related complaints, ensuring timely, public, and uniform enforcement of HAVA requirements.