Rep. Barbara Dittrich

Maddy summaryAB 750 amends state rules for admitting students to technical college programs. It establishes new admission priority rules for in-state residents versus non-residents (Section 38.22(5)(a)) and creates two new options for community college districts (Section 38.22(5)(b)). Districts may now reserve program spaces for students facing hardship or participating in school-to-work programs, or for protective services training like law enforcement, firefighting, or emergency medical services. These changes give colleges flexibility to address specific student needs and workforce preparation goals within existing admission frameworks.

Maddy summaryAB 757 amends Wisconsin statutes to change how the University of Wisconsin System appoints certain leadership roles and clarifies faculty governance rights. It prohibits requiring faculty tenure, specific academic degrees, or faculty status for appointments like chancellor, dean, or vice chancellor (Sections 2-3). The bill redefines "faculty" to include instructional academic staff with 50%+ teaching/research duties for governance purposes (Section 5), and ensures non-tenured faculty can serve on committees without restrictions (Section 5c). It also establishes new rules for "limited appointments" (e.g., administrative roles) requiring board approval and annual reporting (Sections 7-9). These changes directly affect UW System leadership, faculty, and academic staff in hiring and governance processes.

Maddy summaryAB 793 creates a new Office of Internal Audit within Wisconsin's Department of Employee Trust Funds. This office, led by an internal auditor appointed directly by the Employee Trust Funds Board (outside regular civil service), will independently monitor the department's handling of public employee trust fund assets. The auditor will review all department activities related to the funds, ensure compliance with laws and contracts, and provide risk assessments to safeguard benefits for plan participants. The bill directly affects the Department of Employee Trust Funds and its Board by establishing this dedicated oversight role.

Maddy summaryAB 100 requires public and participating private schools to designate athletic teams and sports as "males" or "females" based solely on the sex assigned at birth (as recorded on a birth certificate). It prohibits students assigned male at birth from participating on female-designated teams or using female-designated locker rooms. The bill allows students denied participation or harmed by violations to sue for relief, and gives schools legal recourse if they face penalties for following the policy. This directly affects student athletes in school sports programs and defines participation eligibility based on biological sex at birth.

Maddy summaryAB 103 requires all school boards to adopt policies by July 2026 governing changes to a student’s legal name or pronouns in official school records. It mandates that students under 18 need parental consent (with documentation or an affidavit for name changes), while students 18+ can use an affidavit verifying legal name change and consistent use of new name. School staff must use a minor’s legally provided name/pronouns unless parents provide written authorization for exceptions (e.g., shortened names), and schools must notify parents before approving name changes for minors. The bill aims to balance student privacy, parental rights, and school record accuracy while aligning with federal student privacy laws.

Maddy summaryAB 102 requires University of Wisconsin and technical college athletic programs to designate intercollegiate and club sports teams exclusively for "males" or "females" based on birth sex as recorded on a student's birth certificate. It prohibits students assigned male at birth from participating on teams designated for females or using female-designated locker rooms. The bill creates legal remedies for female students denied participation or harmed by violations, and for institutions facing penalties for compliance. It applies to all such teams starting in the first semester after the law takes effect, overriding existing anti-discrimination protections for these specific athletic contexts.

Maddy summaryAB 104 prohibits health care providers from performing or referring minors under 18 for medical interventions intended to change their physical characteristics to match a gender different from their biological sex. It specifically bans surgeries (like hysterectomy or orchiectomy), mastectomies, puberty-blocking drugs, and high-dose cross-sex hormone treatments. Exceptions apply for genetic disorders of sex development, treating complications from prior procedures, or immediate life-threatening conditions. Violations could result in license revocation for health care providers by the licensing board.

Maddy summaryAB 24 requires Wisconsin county sheriffs to verify the immigration status of individuals jailed for felony offenses by requesting specific documentation (such as passports, birth records, or immigration documents) to confirm lawful presence in the U.S. If verification fails, sheriffs must notify federal Homeland Security and comply with federal detainer requests. Sheriffs must annually report compliance and maintain records of individuals found unlawfully present, with data shared with the state justice department. Counties failing to comply face a 15% reduction in state funding for the following year. The bill directly affects felony inmates, sheriffs, and state-local funding relationships.

Maddy summaryAB 241 amends Wisconsin statute 106.015(1) to prohibit requiring more than one journeyworker for every two apprentices in apprenticeship programs or contracts. This directly affects apprenticeship programs, particularly those governed by collective bargaining agreements, by limiting the minimum journeyworker-to-apprentice ratio. The bill prevents state agencies from enforcing or authorizing stricter ratios (e.g., requiring two journeyworkers per apprentice) through rules, program approvals, or contracts. It takes effect for collective bargaining agreements when they expire or are modified, renewed, or extended. The legislation aims to standardize ratio requirements across apprenticeship programs statewide.

Maddy summaryAB 1 standardizes how Wisconsin schools and districts are evaluated by requiring consistent assessment metrics. It mandates that the state department use the same cut scores and performance categories for English/language arts and math tests in grades 3-8 that align with national National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standards. For high school grades 9-11, it requires using the same metrics applied in the 2021-22 school year. This directly affects all public schools and districts in Wisconsin by changing how their accountability reports are calculated. The bill aims to create uniformity in school performance evaluations across the state.