Sen. Melissa Ratcliff

Maddy summarySB 720 increases funding to hire three additional full-time caretaker positions at the state's three veterans cemeteries. The bill allocates $131,800 for fiscal year 2025-26 and $170,800 for fiscal year 2026-27 under the Department of Veterans Affairs budget. These positions will directly support the maintenance and care of veterans cemeteries, addressing staffing needs for cemetery operations. The measure makes a concrete budget adjustment without altering eligibility or benefits for veterans.

Maddy summarySB 686 designates the Wisconsin natural pearl as the official state gem. The bill amends Wisconsin statutes to add a new section (1.10 (3) (w)) stating this designation and updates another section (1.10 (4)) to include "gem" in the list of state symbols required for the Wisconsin Blue Book. This is a ceremonial bill with no policy changes or direct impact on citizens or government programs. It simply adds the pearl to the state's official list of symbols, which will be reflected in the Blue Book.

Maddy summarySB 721 adds a specific eligibility category for military funeral honors reimbursement: individuals naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 who were residing in the state at the time of their death. The bill establishes that certified veterans' organizations providing military funeral honors for these individuals are eligible for reimbursement of up to $85 per funeral, adjusted annually based on the U.S. consumer price index. This directly affects Hmong veterans who gained U.S. citizenship through the 2000 federal law and their families. The reimbursement rate replaces the previous $50 limit and ensures annual updates to match inflation. The bill modifies existing statutes to clarify this eligibility and funding mechanism.

Maddy summarySB 749 changes the renewal rules for three specific "in-training" certifications: substance abuse counselor-in-training, clinical supervisor-in-training, and prevention specialist-in-training. It establishes a 2-year renewal period for these certifications and limits renewal to only two times. This directly affects individuals holding these trainee-level credentials who seek to maintain their status without full certification. The bill amends existing statute to clarify these renewal terms, overriding previous provisions for these specific trainee categories.

Maddy summarySB 764 sets a $60 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for two doses of epinephrine delivery systems (like EpiPens) under health insurance policies and self-insured plans. It directly affects people with severe allergies who rely on these devices and their insurers. The bill requires coverage for medically necessary epinephrine delivery systems with cost-sharing limited to $60 for two doses, regardless of device type, while allowing plans to charge less or nothing. This applies to disability insurance policies, state/local government health plans, and all health insurance plans covering these devices. The law takes effect four months after publication, with transitional rules for existing policies and collective bargaining agreements.

Maddy summarySB 771 creates a Multifamily Housing Innovation Council within the Department of Safety and Professional Services to develop safety guidelines for apartment buildings. The bill allows local governments to permit multifamily dwellings up to six stories to use a single central staircase (instead of multiple staircases) if they follow a safety guidebook created by the council. The council will establish building specifications meeting National Fire Protection Association standards, develop a model ordinance for local adoption, and recommend code changes to facilitate such housing. This affects developers, local governments, and residents in communities adopting the new guidelines, with the council required to meet monthly until completing its guidebook. The bill does not mandate single-stair buildings but provides a framework for localities to adopt them safely.

Maddy summarySB 774 allocates $3.525 million annually for wolf monitoring and nonlethal abatement projects through the Department of Natural Resources. It directly affects wildlife management efforts by funding ongoing tracking of wolf populations and implementing nonlethal methods (like fencing or deterrents) to prevent conflicts with livestock. The bill creates a permanent funding line (20.370 (1) (js)) in state statutes to cover these activities. This is a procedural funding measure with no voting record or policy changes beyond the specified appropriations.

Maddy summarySJR 115 is a ceremonial resolution that directs Wisconsin to formally recognize November 20, 2025, and 2026, as "Wisconsin’s Transgender Day of Remembrance." It does not create new laws or policies but affirms the state's acknowledgment of this day, which memorializes transgender and nonbinary people killed due to transphobic violence. The resolution cites rising annual fatalities against transgender individuals (33 in 2023, 30 in 2024) and aligns with the established national observance founded in 1999. As a procedural resolution, it has no direct regulatory impact on individuals or organizations.

Maddy summarySB 776 repeals Wisconsin's dry cleaner environmental response program and creates the "Revitalize Wisconsin" program to support cleanup of contaminated properties. The new program provides $3 million biennially from the environmental fund to cover costs for eligible property owners (including "innocent landowners" who didn't cause pollution) and developers on brownfield sites - abandoned properties affected by environmental contamination. It allows grants, direct services, or reimbursements for cleanup activities like waste removal and sampling, with some sites prioritized for funding. The bill also adjusts related environmental funding rules and repeals outdated provisions.

Maddy summarySB 746 repeals a specific statute (252.03 (2j)) that currently grants local health officers the authority to mandate business closures during communicable disease outbreaks. This bill directly affects local health officials and businesses by removing their legal power to order closures for disease control. The key mechanism is simply the deletion of the existing provision from state law, eliminating this specific tool for public health responses. The bill does not create new requirements or exceptions - it solely removes an existing authority.