Sen. Mary Felzkowski

Maddy summarySB 821 amends Wisconsin statute 60.23(32)(b)1 to include the Town of Three Lakes in Oneida County among towns eligible to create tax incremental districts - special tax districts used to fund local development projects - on the same terms as cities or villages. This change directly affects the Town of Three Lakes, allowing its local government to use this tool for economic development without additional state approval. The bill makes a technical update to the existing list of qualifying towns, which currently includes five other specific towns in different counties. It does not create new funding or alter existing tax rates.

Maddy summarySB 896 creates a state tax credit for small Wisconsin businesses that offer individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) to employees. The credit provides up to $400 per covered employee annually for businesses with 1-50 employees, provided they contribute at least $400 per employee toward the ICHRA. To qualify, the ICHRA must meet federal requirements for health reimbursement arrangements. The credit reduces the business’s state income tax liability and applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. This directly affects small employers and their employees who accept the ICHRA as part of their health coverage.

Maddy summarySB 816 allocates $1.75 million from the environmental fund to the town of Washington in Vilas County for dredging the Deerskin River. The grant covers direct costs like permits, testing, dredging, and sediment transport, but requires the town to repay the full amount if the project isn't completed by December 31, 2028, or return unspent funds if costs are lower. This bill directly affects the town of Washington by providing state funding for a specific river maintenance project. The law creates new statutory provisions to formalize the grant and repayment terms.

Maddy summarySB 813 creates new rules for taxing and recording property that consists *only* of a building, improvement, or fixture (like a structure on leased land) without any underlying land. It requires counties to record ownership declarations for these properties and establish separate tax parcels for the structures when owned by someone other than the landowner. This directly affects owners of such structures (e.g., tenants in commercial buildings) and county assessors who must now handle these separate tax records. The bill amends several tax and recording statutes to implement this system, ensuring these "landless" properties are assessed and taxed appropriately.

Maddy summarySB 735 allows neighborhood improvement districts to approve special property charges to fund infrastructure directly related to residential development within those neighborhoods. Property owners in designated districts would pay these charges, which can be collected in installments over time and included in regular tax bills. The bill requires districts to detail the specific infrastructure being funded and how charges will be allocated per parcel before approval. It applies to neighborhoods where property is owned by multiple owners, with streamlined rules for single-owner areas. This legislation creates a new financing tool for local infrastructure projects without changing general property tax collection methods.

Maddy summarySB 797 provides $600,000 in one-time funding to create an online dashboard tracking health care claims data, managed by the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO). It also allocates $1.38 million for 2025-26 and $1.56 million for 2026-27 to cover WHIO’s increased operational costs. The dashboard will display health care claims information and integrate data from new health insurers, directly affecting WHIO and the health care providers/payers contributing data. This bill makes specific budget adjustments to support these data-sharing and transparency efforts.

Maddy summarySB 796 creates a mandatory system requiring insurers, healthcare administrators, and certain government programs (like Medical Assistance) to submit health claims data to a centralized Wisconsin Health Information Organization. It mandates data be provided in machine-readable format within six months of the law's effective date, with standardized reporting schedules. The data organization must analyze and publicly report on healthcare costs, quality, and effectiveness in plain language, while the state may use the data for policy decisions. This bill directly affects healthcare providers, insurers, and government health programs by establishing new data collection requirements and reporting standards.

Maddy summarySB 117 requires public and participating private schools to designate all athletic teams based solely on the sex assigned at birth (as recorded on a birth certificate), labeling them as "males" or "females." It prohibits students designated as male from participating on female-designated teams or using female-designated facilities like locker rooms. The bill allows female-identified students to sue schools for violations of these rules and creates legal protections against retaliation for reporting such violations. This directly affects school athletic programs and students participating in sports, particularly those whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth.

Maddy summarySB 116 requires University of Wisconsin and technical college athletic programs to designate intercollegiate or club sports teams as "male" or "female" based solely on the sex assigned at birth (per birth certificate). It prohibits students assigned male at birth from participating on women's teams or using women's locker rooms. The bill allows female students to sue institutions for violations denying participation or causing harm, and permits institutions to sue organizations penalizing them for compliance. This law applies to all affected athletic teams starting in the first semester after its effective date.

Maddy summarySJR 19 is a commemorative resolution honoring the late Representative Jonathan Brostoff, who served in the Wisconsin Assembly (2014-2023) and Milwaukee Common Council (2022-2024). The resolution recognizes his advocacy for criminal justice reform, disability rights, and community service, including his volunteer work with youth and veterans' organizations. It formally expresses the Wisconsin Legislature's condolences to his family and extends recognition for his public service. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or affect policy.