Sen. Mary Felzkowski

Maddy summarySB 921 requires Wisconsin high schools to offer a 0.5-credit personal financial literacy course for graduation. The course must cover topics like money management, saving, investing, credit, and debt, and can be delivered through traditional classroom instruction or approved partnerships with local financial institutions. Schools may also award credit for completing an advanced placement business course with a personal finance focus. This requirement directly affects all Wisconsin high school students seeking graduation.

Maddy summarySB 482 extends the carryover period for unused research income tax credits from 15 to 50 taxable years. This change directly affects businesses that claim research tax credits but cannot fully utilize them in a single tax year. The bill modifies multiple sections of tax law to allow these unused credits to be carried forward and applied against future tax liabilities over a longer timeframe. The key provision (Section 7) updates the specific timeframe for crediting unused amounts against Wisconsin income taxes in subsequent years.

Maddy summarySB 504 requires insurance plans that rent their dental provider networks to disclose this practice to dentists. Specifically, plans must include rental notifications in contracts and inform dentists within 45 days if their contract is rented to another entity. The bill also mandates that any entity renting a dental network must honor the original contract terms, including discounted rates, between the dentist and the insurance plan. Dentists can terminate participation with the renting entity without ending their original contract with the insurance plan.

Maddy summarySB 531 allows residential contractors to directly receive insurance payments for repairs after property damage, rather than homeowners having to collect and pay contractors. It specifically covers repairs, replacements, or reconstruction of residential properties, including roof systems and tree removal/repair. The bill includes penalties for violations of these insurance payment rules. This change primarily affects homeowners and contractors dealing with property damage claims, streamlining how repair funds flow. The bill passed its final reading on November 18, 2025, and was sent to the governor.

Maddy summarySB 798 establishes a "wetland assured delineation program" that allows certified professionals to identify wetland boundaries for development projects without requiring final government confirmation. To qualify, professionals must meet specific education/experience requirements (e.g., bachelor’s degree with 5 years’ field experience) and submit reports by March 15 annually. This program directly affects land developers, environmental consultants, and property owners needing wetland assessments, as certified delineators’ work will carry the same legal weight as government-verified reports under state law. The bill also extends deadlines for emergency rule procedures and grants the Department of Natural Resources authority to implement program rules.

Maddy summarySB 128 establishes a Municipal PFAS Grant Program to help communities test for and address PFAS ("forever chemicals") in drinking water systems. It allows water utilities to use service funds to cover up to half the cost of source reduction measures (like filtration) if cheaper than endpoint treatment, and creates an exception for utilities acting quickly on unexpected PFAS contamination (without penalties if they notify regulators within 30 days and costs stay under $2 million). The bill prioritizes projects addressing serious health risks and extends grant eligibility to disadvantaged communities affected by water contamination, regardless of their existing service area status. It also creates a referral system connecting PFAS contamination claims to the existing Innocent Landowner Grant Program.

Maddy summarySB 127 exempts specific entities from PFAS-related enforcement actions under Wisconsin's spills law, provided they allow the state to clean up contaminated land at no cost to them. It directly affects landowners who spread permitted biosolids/wastewater containing PFAS, fire departments using PFAS in emergencies, airports, municipalities, solid waste facilities, and property owners not responsible for the contamination. The key provision requires these entities to grant permission for state-led remediation, removing liability under certain enforcement sections of the spills law. This applies to PFAS chemicals commonly found in firefighting foam and industrial products. The bill does not change PFAS contamination standards but alters enforcement responsibilities for qualifying parties.

Maddy summarySB 995 would appropriate state funds to cover individual income tax rebates for 2026, directly affecting eligible Wisconsin residents who qualify for these rebates under prior law. The bill creates a new statutory provision requiring the state to allocate sufficient funding to make these rebate payments. It references a 2025 legislative act that established the rebate program but does not change the rebate eligibility or amounts. The bill is currently pending in the Agriculture and Revenue Committee after a committee recommendation for passage.

Maddy summarySB 1 provides a one-time tax rebate to Wisconsin taxpayers who filed individual income tax returns for 2023-2024. Eligible married couples filing jointly receive $1,000, while other individuals receive $500, capped at their actual tax liability for that period. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue will automatically identify eligible taxpayers and issue payments by September 15, 2026, with a claim process available through December 31, 2026, for those who don’t receive the full amount. The bill applies specific tax refund procedures to these rebates, treating them as tax liabilities under existing Wisconsin law.

Maddy summarySB 994 prohibits the public affairs network from charging fees for accessing live or archived state government proceedings when the network receives state funding for its operations. This applies directly to the state's public affairs network (which broadcasts government meetings) and the public seeking access to those recordings. The bill modifies existing rules to ensure fee-free access regardless of whether state funds are used, removing a prior condition that required explicit state funding for the fee ban. The key provision guarantees public access to government proceedings without cost under state-funded operations.