Rep. Barbara Dittrich

Maddy summaryAB 358 requires state agencies and contractors to submit written reports when construction or development projects disturb burial sites. This applies to projects on public or state-owned land, affecting state departments and private entities working on such developments. The bill mandates timely reporting to the designated state office overseeing cultural resources. It establishes a procedural requirement without altering existing laws or creating new regulations.

Maddy summaryAB 272 amends eligibility rules for Wisconsin's Family Care program to automatically include individuals who are deaf-blind, as defined under federal law (29 U.S.C. § 1905). This change directly affects deaf-blind residents seeking Family Care services, removing the need for separate care-level assessments for this group. The bill establishes that deaf-blind status alone satisfies the "functional eligibility" requirement under existing statute. It does not alter other eligibility criteria or funding mechanisms for the program. The bill was introduced in May 2025 and referred to the Health, Aging and Long-Term Care committee.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 8) commemorates the victims of the December 16, 2024, Abundant Life Christian School tragedy in Wisconsin, specifically honoring Erin West and Rubi Vergara who died and supporting the six injured students and staff. It formally sends condolences to their families, expresses ongoing support for the school community, and condemns the violence that caused the tragedy. The resolution calls on Wisconsin residents to unite against all forms of violence but does not create new laws or allocate funding. As a symbolic gesture, it directly affects the Abundant Life Christian School community and all Wisconsin school communities impacted by violence.

Maddy summaryAB 250 allocates $9 million annually from the Veterans Affairs budget to fund war memorials in populous counties. Memorial boards must provide a full matching contribution to request funds, which can cover operations, maintenance, construction, or facility improvements. Boards must report annually to the legislature on fund usage and remaining balances. The bill creates a formal process for memorial boards to access state funding while requiring transparency in how funds are spent.

Maddy summaryAJR 63 is a ceremonial joint resolution that officially designates January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, as the "Wisconsin State Park System 125th Anniversary." It does not create new laws or policies; instead, it symbolically recognizes the 125th anniversary of Wisconsin's state park system, which began in 1900 with Interstate Park. The resolution highlights the system's role in conservation, recreation (over 20 million annual visits), and economic impact ($11.2 billion GDP, 97,000 jobs), but it has no direct effect on residents, funding, or park operations. As a procedural resolution, it serves only to honor the park system's history and contributions.

Maddy summaryAB 157 prohibits recording or filing contracts for services or materials that do not improve real estate and create property claims (like liens). It directly affects contractors, service providers, and property owners who might improperly tie non-improvement services (e.g., general cleaning or repairs not tied to property enhancement) to real estate. The bill requires county registers of deeds to reject such contracts and bans filing them, with exceptions for mortgages, homeowners associations, leases, and existing lien laws. Violators face civil lawsuits by affected property owners or fines up to $10,000.

Maddy summaryAB 33 creates new laws prohibiting the non-consensual creation and distribution of technology-generated intimate images (like deepfakes) using someone's recognizable likeness. It specifically bans posting, sharing, or exhibiting such "synthetic intimate representations" with intent to coerce, harass, or intimidate the person depicted. The bill also prohibits reproducing private intimate images without the depicted person's consent. These provisions directly protect individuals whose likenesses could be used in non-consensual intimate content, targeting harmful uses of AI and digital tools. The law defines "synthetic intimate representation" as technology-generated content using identifiable features to depict intimate scenes, regardless of artificial elements.

Maddy summaryAB 161 prohibits state agencies and local governments from restricting the sale, use, or purchase of motor vehicles or other devices based on their energy source (e.g., electric, gasoline, hydrogen). It specifically allows governments to set their own purchasing policies for their own fleets but bans restrictions on consumer or commercial use. The bill directly affects state/local governments, businesses selling vehicles/devices, and residents using such products. It creates a clear rule that energy source cannot be a factor in regulatory decisions.

Maddy summaryAB 58 restricts flags displayed on state and local government buildings, requiring only the U.S. flag, Wisconsin state flag, or a state agency flag to be flown from flagpoles or exteriors. Exceptions allow flags for veterans (e.g., POW/MIA), federally recognized tribes, neighboring states at border crossings, or emergency services, but only for ceremonial or safety purposes. The bill explicitly prohibits any flag supporting political parties, social causes, racial/sexual identities, or extremist groups, including flags designed for specific holidays. It applies to all state office buildings, schools, and local government facilities, with limited exemptions for leased properties.

Maddy summaryAB 255 requires referral agencies that connect prospective residents to assisted living facilities to disclose key financial details to those residents before making referrals. Specifically, agencies must reveal any business relationships with facilities, the exact fixed referral fee paid by the facility, and that they only list facilities with which they have contracts. Prospective residents can also terminate an agency's services at any time, including stopping the use of their personal information. Violations carry penalties of up to $1,000 per violation, enforced by the state attorney general or local district attorneys. The bill directly affects referral agencies and prospective residents in Wisconsin assisted living facilities.