Sen. Mark Spreitzer

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program to help school districts build or upgrade playgrounds to be accessible for students with disabilities. It allocates $1 million for each of the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years to fund these projects. The program requires that grant amounts cannot exceed the actual costs school districts spend on construction or upgrades. School districts apply through the state department of public instruction to receive funding for making playgrounds more inclusive.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the WisEARNS program, a state-administered retirement savings plan designed for employees who do not have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan. It establishes a new WisEARNS board attached to the state treasurer, composed of representatives from various sectors including investments, small business, employees, and employers, with specific requirements to ensure diverse expertise and independence from securities dealers. The board will oversee the selection of a vendor to manage the program, which will automatically enroll eligible employees and allow them to make contributions to retirement savings accounts. The legislation also grants the board rule-making authority and includes an appropriation to fund the program's initial implementation.

Maddy summarySB 1064 requires all new motorboats with enclosed sleeping/galley compartments (defined as "enclosed accommodation compartments") to have certified marine carbon monoxide detection systems installed before sale. It also mandates that cabin motorboat owners display a visible carbon monoxide warning sticker and ensures the state department provides free safety information and stickers during boat registration. Violating these requirements carries a $300 penalty for repeat offenses. The law applies to new boats sold, registered, or operated after its effective date.

Maddy summarySB 826 allows healthcare providers to vaccinate minors aged 16 or older without parental consent if the minor requests it. The bill requires providers to obtain the minor’s consent before billing insurance or other third parties for the vaccination. If the minor declines third-party billing, they are responsible for payment directly to the provider, following existing fee guidelines. This applies specifically to medically appropriate vaccines and affects minors aged 16+, healthcare providers, and third-party payers. The bill does not change parental rights for minors under 16.

Maddy summarySB 842 creates a program to fund violence prevention initiatives using tax revenue from vapor products. It directs local health departments and tribal health centers to apply for grants to run violence prevention programs or award subgrants to community organizations, while explicitly prohibiting funds from going to law enforcement agencies or entities working with them. The bill appropriates $30,000 for administrative staffing in fiscal year 2025-26 and $120,000 for 2026-27 to manage the program, with grant applications due annually by June 30. This policy change directly affects local health entities and tribal health centers by providing dedicated funding streams for community-based violence prevention work.

Maddy summarySB 822 allows health care providers to offer discounts for prompt payment of fees to patients covered by disability insurance policies, while prohibiting them from reducing required coinsurance or deductibles under those policies. Key provisions require discounts to be no more than 15% of the fee, based on actual collection savings, and mandate providers to post their discount policy on their website. Providers cannot shift discount costs to other patients, include discounts in third-party payer agreements, or advertise the discount publicly (merely posting online is permitted). The bill directly affects health care providers, disability insurance patients, and insurers, with exceptions for undue financial hardship or federal law conflicts.

Maddy summarySB 729 imposes annual fees on large energy customers (primarily large data centers) based on their peak electricity demand: $2 million for 100-250 MW, $3 million for 250-500 MW, and $1 million more for each additional 250 MW. Fifty percent of these fees fund the Green Innovation Fund via the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The bill also requires data centers to report actual water usage annually and certify compliance with sustainable building standards (like LEED or BREEAM) within three years of operation. It defines "large-scale data centers" as projects costing $250 million+ in construction or equipment over 60 months.

Maddy summarySB 521 requires the state transportation department to install and maintain two directional highway signs along both eastbound and westbound U.S. Highway 18 for the Mount Horeb Veterans Memorial. The bill creates a new statute (86.19(1g)(i)) mandating this signage to improve navigation to the memorial site. This procedural bill directly affects the department's highway signage responsibilities but does not alter memorial funding, design, or public access. It has no fiscal impact beyond standard maintenance costs.

Maddy summarySB 556 creates new annual payments to municipalities and counties for hosting energy storage facilities (like batteries or thermal systems) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facilities. For energy storage facilities with at least 1 megawatt capacity, payments are calculated as $2,000 per megawatt, split between the local city/town (two-thirds) and county (one-third) or town (one-third) and county (two-thirds). For LNG storage facilities, payments are based on the property's net book value at 6 mills for cities/villages or 3 mills for towns, with the county receiving the remaining share. The bill ensures payments continue even if some facility units cease operation, maintaining consistent support for local governments.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a revolving loan program to help municipalities and homeowners along the Mississippi River address shoreline erosion that threatens their buildings. The Department of Natural Resources would administer the program, using $2 million in state funding to provide loans to eligible applicants who meet income and other criteria. The legislation also grants the department authority to create rules for the program and allows it to use emergency rule procedures without needing to prove an immediate public safety emergency. Additionally, the bill extends the time emergency rules remain in effect to 25 months and authorizes the creation of half a full-time equivalent position to manage the program.