Rep. Chuck Wichgers

Maddy summaryAB 560 prohibits municipalities from using physical drop boxes or other physical receptacles to collect voted absentee ballots in any election. Instead, the bill requires all absentee ballots to be returned exclusively by mail. This directly affects local governments that currently operate drop boxes for voter convenience. The law would eliminate a common method for returning absentee ballots, requiring voters to mail their completed ballots instead.

Maddy summaryAB 630 requires sex offenders on parole or extended supervision who cannot provide a stable address to notify the state department within 24 hours of losing that ability. If they cannot provide an address, the state department must use passive positioning tracking (like GPS) to monitor their location. This applies specifically to individuals under supervision who are unable to meet standard address reporting requirements under existing law. The bill updates registration rules to ensure continuous oversight when address information is unavailable.

Maddy summaryAB 627 modifies licensing fees for animal-related businesses in Wisconsin. It creates three new market license classes: Class A ($420 annual fee) for markets selling livestock and wild animals, Class B ($220) for livestock-only sales with limited auctions, and Class E ($280) for equine-only sales (no wild animals or non-equine livestock). The bill also establishes a $20 annual fee for each animal transport vehicle and clarifies a $150 reinspection fee for violations. These changes directly affect animal market operators, dealers, truckers, and transport vehicle owners by adjusting their required annual fees and reinspection costs.

Maddy summaryAB 624 increases penalties for distributing methamphetamine or similar drugs near homeless shelters. If someone distributes these substances within 1,000 feet of a homeless shelter (and knows or should know the location), the maximum prison sentence for that offense rises by 5 years. The bill defines "near a homeless shelter" as being on or within 1,000 feet of the shelter premises, including when the shelter is readily recognizable. This directly affects individuals convicted of drug distribution offenses in these specific locations. The policy change modifies existing sentencing rules without altering the core definition of drug offenses.

Maddy summaryAB 574 updates Wisconsin's voter registration processes to improve accuracy by requiring election officials to verify voters' addresses using U.S. Postal Service data. It mandates that clerks remove voters from registration lists if they no longer reside at their registered address (e.g., when a postcard is returned or USPS data shows a change), and requires timely notifications to voters and election authorities about status changes. This affects all registered voters whose addresses need verification and election officials responsible for maintaining voter rolls. The bill streamlines existing procedures by standardizing address verification, removal triggers, and reporting requirements for voter registration lists.

Maddy summaryAB 545 prevents University of Wisconsin System institutions from charging students supplemental fees for exclusively online courses unless the fee covers specific, verifiable online costs or applies equally to in-person versions of the same course. It directly affects students enrolled in online courses at UW institutions, particularly non-resident students who might face higher fees. The bill adds a new requirement (36.27(1)(c)) that prohibits unjustified fees for online-only courses while allowing fees tied to actual online-specific expenses or those applied consistently to in-person equivalents. This policy change targets course-related charges, not tuition rates, and applies starting 30 days after the law takes effect.

Maddy summaryAB 583 helps people wrongfully imprisoned in Wisconsin by providing them with tax-exempt compensation, health coverage, and transition support. It exempts state compensation payments for wrongful imprisonment from state income tax, covers health insurance premiums (with shared costs), and requires a 5-day transition plan for released individuals to access housing, job help, and healthcare. The bill creates new funding mechanisms (like appropriations under 20.515) to pay for these benefits and mandates state agencies to coordinate with counties on post-release support. It directly affects individuals who receive state compensation under wrongful imprisonment claims (s. 775.05) and the state budget.

Maddy summaryAB 51 clarifies that interscholastic athletic associations (nonprofits coordinating high school sports) may choose to follow public records and open meetings laws. If they elect to be governed by these laws, they can withhold records about individual referees and student participants. The bill also requires school districts to join such associations only if the association has elected to follow these public records rules. This creates a clear framework for how athletic associations handle transparency while maintaining operational flexibility.

Maddy summaryAB 10 creates a sales and use tax exemption for gun safes specifically designed to store firearms, excluding general gun storage items like locking cabinets or racks. This exemption applies to buyers purchasing qualifying safes, meaning they won’t pay state sales or use tax on these items. The bill amends tax statutes to explicitly list gun safes under exempt categories, ensuring retailers don’t need to collect tax for these purchases. It directly affects consumers and retailers selling purpose-built gun safes, with no impact on other firearm-related products or tax policies.

Maddy summaryAB 639 expands the scope of practice for naturopathic doctors in Wisconsin. It specifically allows them to provide "expedited partner therapy" for sexually transmitted infections (chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis) under new section 466.052, enabling them to prescribe antibiotics to sexual partners of infected patients. The bill also requires naturopathic doctors to maintain malpractice insurance (with limited exceptions for government employees) under amended section 466.05(3). Additionally, it updates prescription drug and controlled substance regulations to explicitly include naturopathic doctors in relevant statutes (e.g., 961.23(6)). These changes directly affect naturopathic doctors and patients seeking STI treatment in the state.