Sen. Mark Spreitzer

Maddy summarySB 572 establishes new rules for selling and reselling entertainment event tickets. It requires sellers to clearly disclose the total price (including all fees), seat details, and itemized costs before purchase. The bill bans selling tickets not in a seller’s possession ("speculative sales"), restricts reselling tickets before public sales or through fan clubs, and prohibits deceptive practices like using artist names without permission. It also mandates full refunds within 10 days for canceled events, counterfeit tickets, or tickets that don’t match descriptions.

Maddy summarySB 512 allows public high schools to serve as voter registration sites for enrolled students and school staff during regular school days. It requires municipal clerks to work with school boards to appoint special registration deputies at each high school, who collect completed forms and forward them to the municipal clerk. Students who register while under 18 will be automatically added to the voter rolls when they turn 18, provided they meet eligibility requirements. The bill directly affects high school students and staff in municipalities with public high schools, streamlining registration access during the school year. Private and tribal high schools with many local residents may also participate under specific conditions.

Maddy summarySJR 102 is a symbolic resolution honoring the 200th anniversary of Norwegian immigration to the United States. It commemorates the 1825 voyage of the sloop *Restauration*, which carried Norwegian immigrants seeking religious freedom to the U.S., and acknowledges that over 800,000 Norwegians emigrated to America between 1825 and 1925, with Wisconsin becoming home to 25% of Norwegian Americans by 1900. The resolution formally designates 2025 as the year to celebrate this bicentennial, recognizing the cultural impact of Norwegian immigrants on Wisconsin and U.S. history. As a commemorative resolution, it has no binding effect or policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 518 requires all polling places to be accessible to voters with disabilities, mandating election officials to use a standardized accessibility checklist on election day to identify and address barriers. It also requires the election commission to submit annual reports (by June 30 in odd-numbered years) on voting barriers faced by elderly and disabled voters, consulting disability advocacy groups. Additionally, the bill creates uniform requirements for signs at polling places to notify voters with disabilities about available ballot assistance. These changes apply to election commissions, polling places, and voters with disabilities, taking effect before the 2027 spring election.

Maddy summarySB 517 requires election officials to complete one hour of accessibility training focused on complying with existing laws (sections 5.25(4) and 6.82). It directly affects chief inspectors (under section 7.31(6)) and other officials like municipal clerks, inspectors, and election registration staff (under section 7.315(5)). The bill mandates this training before the 2027 spring election to ensure officials can properly assist voters with disabilities. It amends existing statutes to integrate these accessibility requirements into standard election official training protocols. The law does not change voting procedures but adds a specific training component for accessibility compliance.

Maddy summarySB 514 allows 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote using standard registration methods, such as online or mail-in forms. The bill creates a new section (6.31) specifying that preregistration is available for eligible individuals aged 16 or 17 under existing voter eligibility rules. Crucially, preregistered names cannot appear on official voter lists until the individual turns 18, ensuring they cannot vote before reaching the legal voting age. This change streamlines the process for young people to become active voters once they turn 18, without altering the minimum voting age requirement.

Maddy summarySB 503 creates a $200,000 annual grant program to fund safe firearm disposal initiatives run by counties or law enforcement agencies. Eligible entities must advertise the program, use law enforcement personnel (with possible overtime funding), securely store firearms until destruction, prevent fraud, require dealer inspections before payment, and restrict gift cards from being redeemed for firearms. The bill requires grantees to report firearm details and program outcomes to the Department of Justice, with annual reports due by July 1, 2028. This program directly affects local jurisdictions implementing firearm disposal services, providing funding to support their safe collection and destruction efforts.

Maddy summarySJR 104 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing September 23, 2025, and September 23, 2026, as "Celebrate Bisexuality Day" in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but formally acknowledges the bisexual community's contributions and resilience. The resolution highlights the annual observance of this day nationally and internationally, aiming to increase visibility and respect for bisexual individuals. It directly affects Wisconsin's bisexual community by affirming legislative support for their recognition. This is a symbolic gesture, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summarySB 375 allows first-class cities to use traffic control photographic systems (red-light cameras) to automatically detect vehicles running red lights at intersections. The bill requires cameras to be placed only at intersections with a documented annual accident rate of 1.0 or higher, mandates clear signage, and requires photographs to focus on license plates from the rear. Vehicle owners receive written notices with photos within 30 business days, and fines range from $20 to $40 for first offenses, with proceeds funding system costs and traffic safety programs. This directly affects drivers in first-class cities who violate red-light laws, as cities may implement the system at no more than five intersections per aldermanic district.

Maddy summarySB 590 establishes new rules for faculty tenure and probationary appointments at University of Wisconsin System institutions. It defines "probationary appointment" as a position before a tenure decision and sets a maximum of seven consecutive academic years for such appointments (excluding leaves of absence). The bill requires the University of Wisconsin System board to create rules governing tenure decisions, performance reviews, and faculty dismissals, ensuring recommendations avoid impermissible factors. It also mandates that faculty with tenure or probationary appointments can only be dismissed for just cause after due process.