Rep. Barbara Dittrich

Maddy summaryAB 799 establishes a voluntary, confidential health professional assistance program for licensed health care providers (like doctors and nurses) in Wisconsin who may have conditions affecting their ability to practice safely. The bill requires credentialing boards to participate in the program for specific licenses, charges a $70 fee per participating credential (paid with license fees), and mandates the program to provide science-based support, including evaluation and treatment. It protects participants from civil liability and ensures confidentiality, while allowing colleagues or boards to report concerns without legal risk. The program operates through a contracted entity meeting specific qualifications, focusing on early intervention rather than disciplinary action.

Maddy summaryAJR 1 is a constitutional amendment requiring voters to present valid photo identification to cast a ballot in any election. It directly affects all voters in state elections, specifying that acceptable ID must be issued by the state, federal government, a federally recognized tribal entity, or a college/university in the state. The bill mandates the legislature to define acceptable ID types and establish exceptions, while allowing voters without ID on election day to cast a provisional ballot and submit ID later. This proposal, on second consideration after a 2023 rejection, would be submitted to voters in April 2025 if approved.

Maddy summaryAJR 3 is a symbolic resolution that officially recognizes January 2025 as "Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month" in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but aims to raise public awareness about human trafficking, highlighting its prevalence across all 72 Wisconsin counties and its impact on vulnerable groups like youth and individuals with disabilities. The resolution aligns with broader state and national efforts to combat trafficking through education and community engagement. As a procedural resolution, it focuses solely on designation and awareness, with no direct policy changes or obligations for state agencies.

Maddy summaryAB 20 allows married individuals living apart due to domestic abuse (as defined in state law) to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) when filing a separate state tax return, rather than being required to file jointly. It establishes a state tax credit equal to 4%, 11%, or 34% of the federal EITC amount they’d qualify for if unmarried, depending on having one, two, or three or more qualifying children living with them. The bill directly affects survivors of domestic abuse who cannot file jointly with their spouse and are already eligible for the federal EITC but lose state credit access under current rules. It amends state tax code to create this exception, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryAB 3 requires Wisconsin schools to incorporate cursive writing into the state English language arts curriculum standards and mandates that all elementary schools teach cursive writing as a core skill. Specifically, it requires public schools, charter schools, and private schools participating in parental choice programs to ensure students can write legibly in cursive by the end of fifth grade. The law applies to all elementary grades (K-5) and takes effect by July 1, 2026, though it excludes union high school districts. This policy change directly affects elementary school curricula across Wisconsin, requiring a specific skill-based objective in language arts education.

Maddy summaryAB 4 requires all public school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools in parental choice programs to include civics instruction in their curriculum starting in the 2027-28 school year. The instruction must cover U.S. founding principles, civic participation, government advocacy processes, and comparisons of governance systems (including communism, socialism, and totalitarianism). Schools must annually report compliance to the Department of Public Instruction, and high schools must add a half-credit civics requirement to graduation standards, effective for students graduating in 2030-31. This bill amends existing statutes to establish these requirements for K-12 civics education and reporting.

Maddy summaryAB 67 creates a new process for selecting where lawsuits involving government entities (like state officials, commissions, or federal representatives from the state) are heard in 1st or 2nd class cities. If a party requests it within 5 days of filing or service, the court clerk randomly assigns the case to another circuit court, and this assignment becomes final - no further venue changes are allowed. The bill also adds a fee for using this random venue option. It directly affects plaintiffs and defendants in such lawsuits filed in designated cities, changing how venue is determined under existing law.

Maddy summaryAB 69 amends Wisconsin law to expand the sales and use tax exemption for residential electricity and natural gas to cover the winter months of November through April. Currently, the exemption applies only to certain months, but this bill adds those six winter months to the list of qualifying periods for residential energy purchases. The change directly affects homeowners and renters who purchase electricity or natural gas for home use during these months, removing the tax on those purchases. The bill is a straightforward policy adjustment to the existing tax code, not a new program or funding measure.

Maddy summaryAB 60 modifies how local governments must phrase property tax referendum questions on ballots. It requires specific language detailing the dollar impact of a tax increase on a median single-family home in the district, including a good faith estimate and the property value used in calculations. This applies to referendums seeking to exceed existing property tax limits for school districts, municipalities, or other political subdivisions. The bill mandates that ballot questions include these concrete financial details to help voters understand the cost of proposed tax increases.

Maddy summaryAB 133 modifies Wisconsin's laws governing investment securities under the Uniform Commercial Code. It repeals outdated provisions about where securities laws apply (sections 408.110 (2)(a-d), (5-6), and 409.305 (1)(c)) and clarifies that assets held by securities intermediaries (like banks or brokers) belong to investors (entitlement holders), not the intermediary itself. The bill specifically changes priority rules to ensure investors' claims take precedence over creditor claims if a securities intermediary cannot cover all obligations. This directly affects securities intermediaries and their investor clients by strengthening investor protections in financial asset holdings. The changes take effect four months after publication.