Rep. Jodi Emerson

Maddy summaryAB 920 automatically registers eligible voters for state elections when they interact with the Department of Transportation (e.g., renewing a driver’s license or ID card). It requires the election commission to match DOT data (including name, address, date of birth, and verified citizenship proof) with existing voter records. If someone appears eligible but isn’t registered, they’re added to the voter list with a multilingual notice explaining how to opt out. Individuals can request exclusion from the list at any time, and the commission must verify eligibility before re-registering someone previously removed. The bill directly affects voters who use state-issued licenses or IDs but does not change voter eligibility requirements.

Maddy summaryAB 952 requires anyone living in a household with a person prohibited from possessing firearms (such as someone with certain felony convictions or domestic violence orders) to securely store their own firearms - either in a locked container, a locked location a reasonable person would consider secure, or with a trigger lock engaged. This law directly affects residents in households where one member has a legal restriction on firearm possession. Violating this storage requirement results in penalties: a first offense is a Class A misdemeanor, and repeat violations are classified as Class I felonies. The bill aims to prevent accidental or unauthorized access to firearms in homes where one resident cannot legally own them.

Maddy summaryAB 951 requires retail stores that sell firearms to securely store all firearms when the business is unattended. It mandates specific security methods, such as locking firearms in fireproof safes, using reinforced display cases with thick polycarbonate or laminated glass, securing firearms with hardened steel rods through trigger guards, storing them in windowless rooms with deadbolts, or using steel roll-down doors. These provisions apply directly to retailers engaged in the commercial sale or transfer of firearms. The law aims to prevent unauthorized access to firearms during unattended periods, with additional requirements for street-level stores like bollards or roll-down doors. The bill was introduced in January 2026 and referred to the Criminal Justice Committee.

Maddy summaryAB 961 requires distributors of explicit content (such as publishers and digital platforms) to display specific warning labels on all adult-oriented material. For print publications, labels must appear on the cover in 20-point bold Arial font; for digital content, labels must appear before access, remain visible for 10 seconds, and occupy two-thirds of the screen. The labels must include standardized language warning: "WARNING: This material contains explicit content that may be harmful or offensive. Viewer discretion is advised. Not intended for minors." Violations incur fines, with 50% of fines funding a state appropriation via a surcharge.

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 967 increases funding by $500,000 for Wisconsin's Family Foundations home visitation program to provide parental education about social media's effects on children and healthy social media practices. It directly affects parents eligible for Medical Assistance who are assessed as at-risk for child abuse or neglect under the existing program. The bill modifies the Department of Children and Families' budget to allocate these funds specifically for social media education components within home visitation services. This is a concrete policy change expanding an existing program's educational focus, not a new initiative.

Maddy summaryAB 974 establishes a permanent "public affairs network fund" to provide annual grants to WisconsinEye, the public affairs network broadcasting state government proceedings. The bill creates a new trust fund using state appropriations, donations, and interest earnings, which will fund WisconsinEye’s operating costs for live broadcasts, civic events, and free online archives of unedited government proceedings. WisconsinEye must meet specific requirements, including appointing legislative designees to its board, focusing coverage on official government business, and providing continuous free public access to broadcasts and archives. If WisconsinEye ceases operations, it must repay all grant funds to the state and transfer its archives to the state historical society.

Maddy summaryAB 990 would require Wisconsin high school students to earn at least 0.5 credits in personal financial literacy to graduate. The bill specifies that this course must cover topics like money management, saving/investing, credit/debt, and risk management. Schools could award credit for approved programs offered by financial institutions through school-based branches, as determined by the school board. This requirement would apply to students in high school grades once the law is enacted.

Maddy summaryAB 986 modifies property tax valuation rules for local governments (like cities and towns) that build qualifying infill housing projects. It defines "qualifying infill housing" as projects adding 2-6 new homes on older residential parcels (with 90% of the area developed for 10+ years), using existing infrastructure, and increasing total units. The bill changes how new construction value affects annual tax levy limits by including 90% of new property value in tax incremental districts (TIDs) and excluding removed improvements from these calculations. This adjustment aims to ease tax levy constraints for municipalities developing such housing without altering tax rates themselves.

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.