Rep. Jill Billings

Maddy summaryThis bill adjusts how Wisconsin calculates and distributes state funding for special education costs and general school aid. It modifies the reimbursement rate for special education expenses, allowing the state to distribute up to 100 percent of eligible costs rather than a lower fixed percentage. The legislation also increases the general school aid appropriation for the 2026-27 fiscal year by approximately $446 million to support public school districts. These changes directly affect school districts and the state Department of Public Instruction by altering how funds are allocated and calculated for educational programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Wisconsin election laws to require political committees to report specific spending details when they make mass communications, such as sending 500 or more identical emails, making 500 or more identical phone calls, or distributing 500 or more identical printed materials. It defines mass communications as messages sent during the 60 days before an election that clearly reference a certified candidate and are intended to appeal for or against their vote. Committees including political action committees, independent expenditure committees, and legislative campaign committees must file registration statements and detailed reports about these expenditures within 10 business days of making the communication or exceeding spending thresholds. The changes apply to any group supporting or opposing candidates in elections and aim to increase transparency around campaign spending on large-scale outreach efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies state election law to require disclosure of a donor's job and employer address when they contribute more than $100 to various political committees during a calendar year. The change applies to contributions made to candidates, political parties, legislative committees, action committees, independent expenditure groups, recipients, referendum committees, and recall committees. Under current rules, this information is only required for contributions exceeding $200, so the bill lowers that threshold to increase transparency in political fundraising. The amendment affects individuals who make these contributions and the committees that receive them by mandating additional reporting details.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Wisconsin's campaign finance laws by creating new definitions for mass communications, including mass distribution, mass electronic communication, and mass telephoning, each requiring at least 500 pieces of substantially identical material or messages. It modifies how coordinated expenditures are defined for express advocacy and mass communications, specifying that coordination occurs when a candidate or their party exercises control over or engages in substantial discussions regarding the content, timing, or other aspects of a communication. The legislation also establishes reporting requirements for coordinated mass communications made during the 60-day period before an election, requiring political committees to report expenditures and candidate committees to report them as contributions. These changes directly affect political action committees, independent expenditure committees, and candidates by clarifying what constitutes coordinated spending and how such spending must be reported under existing contribution limits and source restrictions.

Maddy summaryAB 1178 amends Wisconsin statutes to update definitions and procedures for regional transit authorities, ensuring they are recognized as eligible entities for various state programs including highway relocation orders, right-of-way applications, and employer classifications for employee benefits. The bill creates new funding mechanisms by establishing appropriation accounts to collect and distribute taxes imposed by transit authorities that choose to levy them, with a portion of those revenues retained for administrative costs. Additionally, the legislation clarifies which organizations qualify as municipalities and employers under existing laws, explicitly including transit authorities created under the specified chapter while excluding cultural arts districts from certain employer definitions. This bill does not mandate tax collection but provides the legal framework for transit authorities to adopt resolutions imposing taxes if they choose to do so.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires operators of licensed runaway homes to notify child welfare agencies and a child's parents, guardians, or legal custodians when a child is sheltered there without consent. The law mandates that intake workers inform parents within 72 hours, while home operators must attempt contact every six hours until successful if the child's safety is deemed best served by notification. Additionally, if parents do not consent to the child's placement, a court hearing must be held within 24 hours to determine whether the child can remain in the home. These provisions apply specifically to licensed facilities sheltering runaway children and aim to establish clearer communication protocols between operators, welfare agencies, and families.

Maddy summaryAB 1008 clarifies eligibility for Wisconsin's child care subsidy program (Wisconsin Shares) by expanding "relative" definitions to include "like-kin" caregivers. It allows non-relatives who provide care as family (e.g., close family friends) to qualify for subsidies if they meet specific criteria, such as having a court order and receiving payments under certain statutes. The bill also adjusts income calculations for eligibility, including court-ordered support payments exceeding $1,250 monthly. This directly affects caregivers of children under 13 (or 19 if disabled) who seek child care assistance through Wisconsin Shares.

Maddy summaryAB 1023 creates a dedicated $500,000 annual appropriation (for 2025-26 and 2026-27) specifically for training and technical assistance for tribal child care providers. The bill directs the Department of Children and Families to use this funding to contract with agencies or award grants aimed at improving the quality of child care services provided by tribal organizations. This funding is separate from other child care funding streams and must be used exclusively for these tribal provider support activities. The bill directly affects tribal child care programs in Wisconsin by providing a new, dedicated resource for their professional development and operational support.

Maddy summaryAB 999 clarifies that employees of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (UWHCA) are covered under collective bargaining agreements. The bill amends specific statutes (including 40.02, 40.05, and 111.02) to explicitly include UWHCA employees in provisions governing union dues, sick leave conversion, and bargaining unit structures. This ensures UWHCA staff have the same collective bargaining rights as other state employees covered under Chapter 111. The changes directly affect UWHCA employees by integrating them into existing labor frameworks without creating new rights. The bill focuses on administrative alignment within current state labor laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for Wisconsin's child care subsidy program (Wisconsin Shares) by allowing families with incomes above 200% of the federal poverty line but below 100% of the state median income to continue receiving subsidies. It creates a new eligibility pathway (20.437 (2) (ct)) to cover families previously disqualified due to income thresholds and adjusts copayment rules for those exceeding income limits. The policy directly affects low-income working families who lost subsidies due to modest income increases but remain below the new 100% state median income cutoff. A $1.25 million appropriation for fiscal year 2026-27 funds this expansion.