Sen. Sarah Keyeski

Maddy summarySB 852 adjusts the state's reimbursement rate for special education and school-age parent programs costs. For the 2025-26 school year, eligible costs will be reimbursed at 42% of total costs; starting in 2026-27, this rate increases to 45%. The bill directly affects school districts and programs that provide special education services and school-age parent programs under specific statutes. This change modifies how state funds are distributed to cover these eligible costs, without altering the total appropriation amount.

Maddy summarySB 815 prohibits creating and sharing AI-generated content that mimics a real person's face, voice, or other identifying features without their consent, if intended to harass, intimidate, or defraud for financial gain. It establishes a Class A misdemeanor for misuse to coerce or harass, and a Class I felony for profit-driven misuse. The law includes key exceptions: tech companies, news content, and creators who clearly label AI-generated material (e.g., "This content generated by AI" in videos, images, or audio). It directly affects individuals whose likenesses are exploited without consent and sets clear penalties for malicious use of synthetic media.

Maddy summarySB 801 modifies Wisconsin election laws to require early canvassing of absentee ballots by municipal boards in certain jurisdictions, shifting processing from polling places to dedicated canvassing meetings. It sets a strict 8 p.m. election day deadline for delivering absentee ballots to election inspectors or canvassing boards, with specific procedures for military and overseas voters. The bill also establishes penalties for violations, though the exact penalties aren't detailed in the provided text. These changes directly affect municipal clerks, election boards, and voters requesting absentee ballots.

Maddy summarySB 840 creates new funding streams to support Wisconsin's Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program, which helps farmers protect working land by restricting development. The bill allocates funds from the "working lands fund" and "capital improvement fund" to cover costs for purchasing conservation easements, with a maximum $25 million public debt limit for these purchases. It directly affects farmers who participate in the program and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which administers the easement acquisitions. The legislation modifies existing statutes to establish these funding mechanisms and streamline payments related to easement agreements.

Maddy summarySB 817 creates a state program to provide electronic payment processing equipment and services (including SNAP/food stamp processing) to farmers' markets and farmers selling directly to consumers. It allocates $367,500 biennially for this purpose and increases the healthy food incentive program appropriation by $1 million annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The bill requires payment processors to handle both SNAP transactions and local purchasing incentives funded by third parties. It directly affects farmers' markets, vendors, and SNAP participants by improving access to electronic payments. The program is administered by the Department of Health Services with new staffing support.

Maddy summarySB 823 establishes specific spending limits for Wisconsin's agricultural exports program. It requires $2.5 million to be spent on one export objective, $1.25 million each for two other objectives, and caps total annual spending at $1 million. The bill also increases funding for the program by $1.07 million for fiscal year 2025-26 and $1.09 million for 2026-27. Additionally, it adds one administrative position (1.0 FTE) within the Department of Agriculture to manage the program. The bill directly affects the Center for International Agribusiness Marketing and the Department of Agriculture, which administer the program.

Maddy summarySB 829 increases state funding for two Wisconsin economic development programs. It adds $200,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to promote "Something Special from Wisconsin" (advertising the state's products), and $300,000 annually for the same periods to fund "Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin" grants. These grants support Wisconsin businesses selling locally produced goods, while the promotion campaign helps market Wisconsin-made products. The bill directly affects Wisconsin businesses participating in these programs and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which administers both initiatives.

Maddy summarySB 841 creates a program to fund local governments in Wisconsin to implement farmland preservation plans through grants. It establishes annual adjustments to the farmland preservation tax credit for inflation using agricultural price data, ensuring the credit amount increases with rising costs. The bill also sets maximum acreage limits for agricultural enterprise areas and authorizes funding for activities like zoning certification, farmland preservation agreements, and monitoring compliance. These changes directly affect Wisconsin farmers (through the tax credit) and local governments (through grant eligibility). The policy shifts focus to maintaining agricultural land by making preservation tools more adaptable to economic changes.

Maddy summarySB 870 requires Wisconsin energy utilities to spend at least 25% of their annual energy efficiency funds on programs for low-income households, including energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy measures. The bill defines "low-income household" per state statute and mandates that these programs become a priority when setting energy efficiency goals. It also establishes minimum requirements for these programs and ensures utilities allocate funds annually toward reducing energy burdens for qualifying households. The law directly affects low-income residents and energy utilities across Wisconsin.

Maddy summarySB 876 creates a new green jobs training program funded with $1.5 million annually for grants to public or private organizations. These grants support training for workers in clean energy sectors like solar, wind, and renewable resource management, with organizations required to provide matching funds. The bill exempts the program from standard emergency rule procedures, allowing faster implementation, and mandates annual reports tracking participants, job placements, and wage changes. It directly affects workforce development organizations, unemployed/underemployed workers, and employers in emerging green industries. The program is administered by the Department of Workforce Development, with reporting requirements detailing outcomes like job placements and wage increases.