Maddy summarySB 564 modifies tax credit eligibility rules for qualified new business ventures in Wisconsin. It increases the investment cap for tax credit eligibility from $12 million to $20 million for businesses seeking credits after 2025, while maintaining the $12 million limit for pre-2026 ventures. The bill also updates relocation requirements, requiring businesses to stay in-state for three years after receiving certain tax credits or pay penalties if they move more than 51% of their headquarters outside Wisconsin. These changes directly affect new businesses seeking tax credits under statutes related to investments in ventures like startups. The bill is currently under review by the Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development committee.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 563 clarifies what qualifies as an investment for Wisconsin's early stage seed and angel investment tax credits. It defines "investment" to include equity purchases, convertible notes, simple agreements for future equity, and other expenditures approved by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). This change directly affects individual investors and businesses seeking these tax credits by expanding eligible investment types beyond traditional equity. The bill takes effect for 2025 tax years and aims to streamline eligibility under existing credit programs.
Maddy summarySB 637 creates two tax credits for nuclear energy facilities in Wisconsin: an income/franchise tax credit (under §71.07) and a sales/use tax exemption (under §71.28). It directly affects electric public utilities, cooperatives, municipal electric companies, and qualified wholesale providers that operate nuclear facilities. The credits cover wages paid to full-time facility workers (requiring 2,080 annual hours at ≥150% federal minimum wage) and capital expenditures for facility construction, operation, or maintenance (excluding land purchases). The credits are transferable to other taxable entities and apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2027.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 200 introduces various changes to unemployment insurance law, primarily focusing on fraud prevention and claimant support. It requires the department to implement identity verification measures for claimants and perform weekly comparisons against national databases to detect fraud or erroneous payments. The bill also mandates the creation of training materials for claimants and employers, and requires the department to maintain a call center with expanded hours during periods of high demand. Additionally, it extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting certain felony unemployment insurance fraud violations related to benefits paid on or before September 4, 2021.
Maddy summarySB 636 creates a sales and use tax exemption for businesses developing nuclear fusion technology. It exempts specific equipment, materials, and software listed in the bill (such as fusion reactors, diagnostic tools, and specialized materials) when used exclusively in qualified fusion projects. Qualified projects include research on energy generation, medical isotopes, plasma physics, or fusion-enabling technologies. Businesses must obtain certification from the corporation to qualify for the exemption, covering both direct purchases and contractor-transferred items used in these projects. The exemption applies to sales and use of qualifying items at the project location.
Maddy summarySB 331 updates rules for operating all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) by creating new definitions for specific vehicle types, including "dune buggies" and emergency-use vehicles operated by public safety agencies. The bill requires ATVs to have one headlight and tail light (with lights on), UTVs to have two of each with specified visibility standards (200 feet for headlights, 500 feet for tail lights), and mandates functional brakes for all vehicles. It also prohibits modifications that exceed width limits (except on private property) and adds a requirement for operators to render aid after accidents.
Maddy summarySB 419 allows courts to order emergency testing for certain diseases (like HIV or STIs) of criminal defendants without their consent in specific cases. It applies when a defendant allegedly committed a crime involving bodily fluids (blood, semen, etc.) that could transmit disease to public safety workers, prosecutors, or correctional staff. The bill requires court approval based on probable cause, mandates immediate disclosure of results to the defendant, and prohibits adding test results to the person's permanent medical record. It also creates new procedures for prosecutors to seek these orders quickly when public safety is at risk. This bill directly affects criminal defendants in cases involving potential disease transmission to protected public safety personnel.
Maddy summarySB 461 clarifies the definition of "design-build project" for Department of Transportation (DOT) contracts. It specifies that such projects involve procuring design, engineering, construction, and related services through a single contract with one private entity (like a company or joint venture), rather than separate contracts. This procedural bill updates statute 84.062(1)(e) to remove ambiguity in how DOT contracts are structured. The change affects DOT's contracting procedures but does not alter project requirements or impact specific groups directly. The bill passed on November 18, 2025, after third reading.
Maddy summarySB 66 prohibits the use of devices designed to conceal, obstruct, or alter vehicle license plates, such as mechanical switches, moving covers, or altered plates that obscure numbers. It bans possessing, selling, installing, or using these devices and requires impounding vehicles equipped with them (with costs paid by the owner for towing/impoundment). Violations carry penalties of up to $1,000 in fines, 90 days in jail, or both. This law directly affects vehicle owners who might attempt to obscure license plates, and it became effective under 2025 Wisconsin Act 37.
Maddy summaryThis law requires all marked police vehicles to display blue lights on the passenger side (roof or interior) and red lights on the driver side, with all lights designed to be clearly visible from 500 feet in daylight or darkness. It also restricts when officers may use warning lights - only during emergencies, pursuits, fire responses, or when parked hazardously - and prohibits use otherwise. The bill, now effective as Wisconsin Act 39 (signed November 2025), directly affects all law enforcement agencies operating police vehicles in Wisconsin.