Rep. Brent Jacobson

Maddy summaryAB 187 creates a program providing a one-time $250 completion service award to volunteer firefighters after they complete 60 hours of training. Municipalities must match this award with their own payments, and the state will provide a 2:1 match for municipal contributions toward length-of-service awards (up to $390 annually), which are tax-deferred benefits based on service years. The bill requires a 10-year vesting period for length-of-service benefits and sets rules for closing inactive accounts after 12 months of inactivity. It directly affects volunteer firefighters, emergency medical responders, and emergency medical services practitioners in municipalities operating volunteer departments or contracting with volunteer fire companies.

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 summaryAB 348 lowers the minimum age for assistant child care teachers in Wisconsin from 17 or 18 to 16 years old, directly affecting licensed child care centers hiring these staff. To qualify, individuals must complete early childhood education training (e.g., two college credits, a department-approved course, or an approved program) within six months. The bill maintains current rules that assistant teachers may only provide sole supervision during specific times (like opening/closing hours or naptime) if a qualified child care teacher is present on-site. It does not change requirements for child care teachers themselves.

Maddy summaryAB 350, introduced on July 8, 2025, by multiple state representatives and senators, aims to establish new regulations for family and group child care centers. It directly affects child care providers operating under these models by setting standards for safety, staffing, and facility requirements. The bill is currently referred to the Committee on Children and Families for further review. As introduced, it focuses on creating specific regulatory frameworks for these centers without detailing exact provisions in the provided context.

Maddy summaryAB 349 would allow certified child care operators to provide care for up to six children, changing the current capacity limit for licensed providers. This directly affects licensed child care facilities operating under state certification. The bill amends regulatory standards to establish six as the new maximum number of children per certified operator. It applies specifically to certified settings and does not alter requirements for unlicensed care.

Maddy summaryAB 370 creates standardized crime victim notification cards to help victims stay informed about court proceedings involving offenders. The bill directs the Director of State Courts to design these free cards, which victims can fill out with their contact information and details about the inmate or probationer. County courts and victim-witness offices must provide the cards to victims, who can then send completed cards to the relevant court to receive updates. The bill also protects victims' mailing addresses in court records from public inspection under state law.

Maddy summaryAB 360 creates a grant program to help small law enforcement agencies (those with 25 or fewer full-time officers) address staffing shortages. Agencies can apply for grants to cover costs of preparatory training for future officers and up to six months of on-the-job training for new recruits, provided they have high vacancy rates (20%+) or upcoming retirements. Recipients must commit to working at the agency for one year after training, and agencies may exclude new recruits from staffing maintenance requirements for six months. The program runs for 18 months after all funds are distributed, with repayment required if commitments aren't met.

Maddy summaryAB 218 limits foreign ownership of agricultural land in the state to 50 acres (down from 640 acres), affecting foreign corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and trusts with over 25% foreign ownership. It also prohibits foreign entities from owning real property within 10 miles of military installations, with limited exceptions for inheritances, treaty rights, or debt collection. The bill requires entities exceeding these limits to divest or forfeit land within 3 years, and mandates reporting for exceptions. These changes apply to land acquired after the bill’s effective date, not retroactively.

Maddy summaryAB 164 standardizes terminology across Wisconsin's unemployment insurance system, replacing "unemployment insurance" with "reemployment assistance" in state laws to align with federal programs. It creates a new Division of Reemployment Assistance within the Department of Workforce Development and clarifies responsibilities for home care workers, requiring placement agencies to inform consumers about who pays federal social security taxes, state reemployment assistance contributions, and worker compensation insurance. The bill ensures home care consumers aren't unexpectedly liable for these costs if agencies fail to provide required notices, and establishes mechanisms for recovering costs from agencies when they do. These changes primarily affect home care workers, placement agencies, and state agencies administering unemployment benefits.

Maddy summaryAB 382 requires health care providers to provide the same medical care to a child born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion as they would to any other newborn at that gestational age, including immediate hospital transport. It mandates reporting failures to comply with these requirements to law enforcement and imposes a Class H felony penalty for violations (excluding prosecution of the mother). The bill also allows affected individuals to sue for civil damages equal to three times the abortion cost plus emotional distress, while guaranteeing confidentiality for the woman involved and prohibiting contracts from being used as a defense in such lawsuits. This legislation directly affects abortion providers and hospitals performing such procedures, focusing on post-procedure medical obligations rather than restricting abortion access.