Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim

Maddy summarySB 931 allows student identification cards issued by accredited Wisconsin universities, colleges, or technical colleges to be used as valid voter ID. The bill requires these cards to include the cardholder's signature, date of issuance, and an expiration date no later than two years after issuance. If a card is expired, voters must prove current student enrollment at the time of voting. This applies to all University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges, which must issue qualifying IDs by August 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 1080 removes state-imposed limits on how cities and counties can regulate short-term rentals (like Airbnb) of residential properties. It repeals specific sections of law that previously restricted local governments from setting their own rules about the number of days a residential dwelling can be rented out annually. This change directly affects local governments (cities, towns, counties), property owners who rent short-term, and renters by allowing communities to develop their own regulatory frameworks without state caps. The bill focuses on updating statutory language to eliminate existing restrictions, not creating new programs or financial impacts.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (SJR 118) that formally congratulates the Grafton Black Hawks high school football team for winning the 2025 Wisconsin State Football Championship. It recognizes their perfect 14-0 season, championship victory at Camp Randall Stadium, and the team's emphasis on teamwork and sportsmanship. The resolution does not create any new laws, policies, or funding - it solely offers symbolic recognition from the Wisconsin Legislature to the team, coaches, and community. It directly affects the Grafton Black Hawks football program and the Grafton community by publicly honoring their championship achievement.

Maddy summarySB 811 would increase funding for the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to add two full-time equivalent positions focused on regional farmer support. The bill proposes adding $150,400 for fiscal year 2025-26 to authorize these positions and $200,500 for fiscal year 2026-27 to cover their operational costs. These positions would provide direct on-the-ground assistance to farmers across different regions of the state. The bill, introduced in January 2026, is currently pending in the Agriculture and Revenue Committee.

Maddy summarySB 804 prohibits government funding for investigations into pregnancy outcomes (such as miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion) when the person experiencing the outcome is the alleged crime suspect. It bans law enforcement from treating pregnancy outcomes as criminal matters and requires consent before investigating cases where a crime relates to another person's pregnancy. The bill also exempts women from civil or criminal liability for their own pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage or abortion, and clarifies that legal definitions of "corpse" do not apply to fetal tissue from non-live births. These provisions directly affect women experiencing pregnancy outcomes and law enforcement agencies handling such cases.

Maddy summarySB 854 creates a new funding line to support county conservation staff focused on climate change resiliency. It directly affects counties with approved land and water resource management plans, requiring them to request funding for climate-focused personnel in annual grant applications. The bill adds a specific appropriation of $1.8 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year under statute 20.115(7)(f) for "soil and water management; climate change personnel." This establishes a dedicated funding mechanism for counties to hire or retain staff addressing climate impacts, separate from existing conservation program funding.

Maddy summarySB 857 establishes the Energy Innovation Grant Program, allocating $10 million annually for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years. The program is administered by the Office of Energy Innovation within the Public Service Commission to fund energy innovation projects. It creates new statutory references (20.155(3)(e) and 196.379) to formalize the grant program and its funding structure. This bill directly affects the Public Service Commission and its Office of Energy Innovation by providing dedicated funding for energy-related grants. The program does not specify eligible projects or recipients, only creating the funding mechanism and administrative structure.

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 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 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.