Sen. Mark Spreitzer

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution (SJR 6) is a ceremonial honor recognizing the life and legacy of Bob Uecker, the longtime Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcaster and entertainer. It formally acknowledges his 54-year broadcasting career with the Brewers, his acting roles (including *Mr. Belvedere* and *Major League*), philanthropy, and contributions to baseball and Wisconsin culture. The resolution has no policy impact - it simply expresses the Wisconsin Legislature’s tribute to Uecker’s "extraordinary contributions" through a symbolic resolution passed on March 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySJR 21 is a ceremonial resolution honoring the late Senator Timothy Francis Cullen, a longtime Wisconsin State Senator and public servant who passed away in December 2024. It commemorates his career, including service as Senate Majority Leader (1982-1986), advocacy for workers' rights and consumer protections, and efforts to promote bipartisan governance and fair redistricting. The resolution has no policy impact - it solely serves to recognize Cullen’s life and public service through formal acknowledgment by the legislature. It was formally passed by both chambers and deposited with the Secretary of State on November 25, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill would establish ranked-choice voting for certain Wisconsin elections and provides funding to help local governments implement the system. It directly affects voters, election officials, and municipalities by changing how ballots are counted and how ties are resolved. The key provisions allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, require tie-breaking by lot when candidates receive equal votes, and authorize grants to counties and cities for updating voting equipment and software. The bill also gives municipalities flexibility in combining polling wards to facilitate ranked-choice voting while maintaining separate vote counts for reporting purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the creation of emergency services districts and grants them the authority to levy property taxes, impose special charges, and issue debt to fund local emergency response services. It directly affects local governments and residents within areas where these districts are established by modifying existing statutes related to district formation and financial powers. The legislation includes provisions for how emergency services district board members are elected, specifying ballot arrangements and candidate limits during primary elections. Additionally, it clarifies which entities are responsible for paying election-related costs, such as ballots and voting materials, when emergency services districts hold elections.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes establishing an annual Education Foundation Day in Wisconsin to be held on May 13, 2026. The resolution formally recognizes the role of over 350 education foundations that support public schools through funding programs not covered by traditional budgets, building endowments, and connecting schools with community resources. It does not create new funding or change existing laws but instead serves as a commemorative measure to acknowledge the contributions of these organizations. The bill is procedural in nature and does not alter policy or affect specific groups beyond recognizing their work.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a teacher longevity bonus program for Wisconsin school districts, providing a $7,000 payment to teachers who have been continuously licensed and employed by the same school board for five consecutive school years. The program begins in the 2031-32 school year and allows teachers to receive additional bonuses for each subsequent five-year period of continuous service, provided those years were not already used to qualify for a prior bonus. School boards must annually report eligible teacher names to the Department of Public Instruction, and the funding comes from a new state appropriation. The legislation amends existing statutes to create this new bonus structure and clarifies which school district provisions apply to first-class city school districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a journalism fellowship program within the University of Wisconsin System to place journalism graduates in local newsrooms. The program would create 25 one-year fellowships, each providing a $40,000 salary to individuals who hold degrees in journalism, media, communications, or related fields. A selection committee composed of university faculty and industry professionals would review applications and match fellows with participating newsrooms based on how the placements would improve access to quality local journalism and support media literacy. The legislation appropriates $1 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year to fund these positions and requires applicants to demonstrate how their participation will meet state residents' civic information needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Civic Information Consortium Board attached to the University of Wisconsin System to administer a grant program supporting local journalism and media projects across the state. The board would include representatives from the university system, local media organizations covering print, online, radio, and television, and two public members, with initial staggered terms to ensure continuity. The program would provide $20 million in 2025-26 and $1 million in 2026-27 to a nonprofit corporation that awards grants for projects addressing community information needs, media literacy, and civic engagement, with at least 30 percent of funding directed to rural areas. The bill includes safeguards requiring grant recipients to remain independent from state influence and mandates annual reporting on how funds were used and their impact on public information access.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to create a tuition exemption for certain nonresident students at University of Wisconsin System institutions. It would allow individuals with approved deferred action status under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to qualify for in-state tuition rates if they have lived in Wisconsin for 12 months before enrolling. The exemption would apply to students registering in semesters following the bill's effective date. This legislation directly affects eligible nonresident students and the state's higher education funding structure.

Maddy summarySB 949 prohibits carrying firearms within 100 feet of polling places during voting hours (one hour before opening to one hour after closing), defining this as a Class A misdemeanor. It directly affects voters, election workers, and anyone near polling locations during elections. Key exemptions include law enforcement officers, private property owners on their own land, and security personnel acting in their professional duties. The bill creates new criminal penalties for violations, specifically targeting firearm presence at voting sites to enhance polling place safety. This is a policy change focused on election security, not procedural or commemorative.