Sen. Mark Spreitzer

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 855 allocates $200,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to fund two full-time research positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison focused on agriculture and climate change. These positions must use existing vacant research slots, increase the total research staff count, and be assigned to UW-Madison's Division of Extension. The bill modifies the state budget to provide this funding without creating new positions or changing existing law. It directly affects UW-Madison's research staffing structure and extension programs.

Maddy summarySB 858 creates a program allowing public utilities to finance energy improvements (like solar panels or insulation) at residential properties. Utilities would recover these costs over time by adding a periodic surcharge to customers' monthly utility bills for that specific home. The Public Service Commission must develop rules to implement this program. This directly affects homeowners who participate in the program and the utilities offering it, with no upfront costs required from residents.

Maddy summarySB 853 requires local governments (counties, cities, towns, and regional planning commissions) to consider climate change impacts when updating specific plans, including comprehensive plans, community health plans, and hazard mitigation plans. The bill creates a new grant program to cover the full cost of climate planning for these local documents, funded by a dedicated state appropriation. Local governments must apply to the department for grants that finance all expenses related to incorporating climate change considerations into their planning processes. This policy change directly affects how communities develop and update key planning documents, with no new requirements for local funding.

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.