Sen. Van Wanggaard

Maddy summarySB 238 defines "search and rescue dog" as a dog trained by a state or nationally recognized agency to locate lost people or disaster victims. The bill prohibits harassment of these dogs (and police/fire animals), including actions that interfere with their work or training. Penalties increase based on intent and harm: a basic violation carries a Class B forfeiture, intentional harm causes a Class A misdemeanor, and causing injury or death escalates to felony charges (Class I or H). This law directly affects individuals who harass search and rescue dogs, strengthening legal protections for these working animals used in critical public safety operations.

Maddy summarySB 317 requires all Wisconsin public schools and charter schools to develop written cardiac emergency response plans by the 2027-28 school year. These plans must include core elements like response teams, AED maintenance details, annual drills, and staff training in CPR/AED use following national guidelines (e.g., American Heart Association). High schools must additionally require coaches to maintain current CPR/AED certification. Schools are not mandated to purchase AEDs, but must plan for their use if available. The law specifically targets cardiac emergencies occurring on school property or at school-sponsored athletic events.

Maddy summarySB 83 creates exceptions to prior authorization requirements for antipsychotic drugs under the state's Medical Assistance program (Medicaid). It specifies four situations where prior approval isn't needed for recipients aged 18+: if the drug was previously approved at a different dose, the recipient was recently enrolled after 30 days of continuous use, prior authorization expired after 60 days of continuous use, or the recipient was stabilized on the drug after a recent hospital discharge. The bill does not override federal Medicaid rules. It directly affects Medicaid recipients prescribed antipsychotic medications who meet these specific criteria.

Maddy summarySB 130 removes the exception for "obscene material" from existing laws governing online distribution of certain content. It directly affects online platforms, content distributors, and users sharing material that meets the bill's definition. The key mechanism establishes civil penalties of $100-$10,000 per violation, allowing state departments to investigate violations and seek fines or injunctions to address non-compliance. The bill focuses on enforcement of existing online content standards without changing the core definition of prohibited material. (Note: This summary is based solely on the provided text; the bill's specific definition of "certain material" is not detailed in the context.)

Maddy summarySB 69 would allow school teachers to subtract certain work-related expenses from their taxable income, directly affecting teachers who pay for classroom supplies or professional development out of pocket. The bill creates a specific income tax subtraction provision, reducing the taxable income of eligible teachers by the amount of qualifying expenses they incur. This policy change aims to offset some costs teachers personally cover for their work, without altering tax rates or brackets. The bill passed committee with unanimous support and is now awaiting further legislative action.

Maddy summarySB 203 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) by requiring them to pay pharmacies within 30 days for electronic claims and 60 days for paper claims. It mandates that claims for 340B drugs (federally discounted medications) include specific identifiers for processing. The bill also prohibits PBMs from forcing pharmacies to join multiple networks or penalizing them for declining to join such networks. These provisions directly affect PBMs, pharmacies, and prescribers within the state’s health insurance system.

Maddy summarySJR 95 is a symbolic resolution designating October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally recognizes the issue through a state-wide designation. The resolution aims to honor victims, support survivors, and acknowledge service providers working to address domestic violence. This designation applies to the entire state of Wisconsin and is intended to raise public awareness during October.

Maddy summarySB 497 establishes new rules for compensating owners when outdoor advertising signs are removed or relocated due to highway projects. It directly affects sign owners (including those with signs that don’t meet local rules) and property owners where signs are located. Key provisions require government agencies to provide full appraisals showing compensation amounts, mandate specific payments for the sign itself, loss of other signs, and the right to display signs, and clarify that repositioning signs doesn’t change their "nonconforming" status. The bill also sets appraisal standards (e.g., offers must be within 85-115% of the owner’s appraisal) and allows separate legal appeals for compensation disputes. This bill changes how compensation is calculated and paid for signs affected by transportation projects.

Maddy summarySB 227 repeals Section 164.05 of the statutes, which previously established a "law enforcement officers’ bill of rights" in the state code. This bill removes the existing statutory provision without creating new rights or procedures for law enforcement officers. It directly affects the legal framework governing officers' rights by eliminating the specific section referenced in the repeal. As a procedural bill, it does not alter policy or impact any other laws, merely deleting the cited statute from the code.

Maddy summarySB 394 amends Wisconsin statutes to clarify which historical properties are protected from damage or graffiti and to establish penalties for violations. It specifies that protected property includes structures, plaques, statues, paintings, or monuments of historical significance that are maintained by the state, county, or municipality, or located on publicly owned land. The bill expands the definition of protected property by explicitly including such monuments listed on a historical registry or deemed historically significant. This change ensures that vandals face legal consequences for damaging government-maintained historical sites, such as monuments in public parks or historic buildings.