Sen. Patrick Testin

Maddy summarySB 685 allocates specific annual funds for conservation programs under Wisconsin's Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program and major land acquisitions initiative. The bill creates four new funding streams: $5 million for department property development, $4 million for nonprofit land acquisition grants, $1 million for habitat restoration grants, and $2 million for local conservation assistance. These funds will be drawn from forestry activity revenues to support land conservation, habitat restoration, and local park development. The bill also specifies debt limits for the stewardship program, including a $1.046 billion cap for the program's funding.

Maddy summarySB 797 provides $600,000 in one-time funding to create an online dashboard tracking health care claims data, managed by the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO). It also allocates $1.38 million for 2025-26 and $1.56 million for 2026-27 to cover WHIO’s increased operational costs. The dashboard will display health care claims information and integrate data from new health insurers, directly affecting WHIO and the health care providers/payers contributing data. This bill makes specific budget adjustments to support these data-sharing and transparency efforts.

Maddy summarySB 796 creates a mandatory system requiring insurers, healthcare administrators, and certain government programs (like Medical Assistance) to submit health claims data to a centralized Wisconsin Health Information Organization. It mandates data be provided in machine-readable format within six months of the law's effective date, with standardized reporting schedules. The data organization must analyze and publicly report on healthcare costs, quality, and effectiveness in plain language, while the state may use the data for policy decisions. This bill directly affects healthcare providers, insurers, and government health programs by establishing new data collection requirements and reporting standards.

Maddy summarySB 711 requires health insurance plans (including preferred provider plans and self-insured government plans) to cover emergency ambulance services provided by non-participating ambulance providers at specific rates. It mandates payment at the lowest of: (1) a mutually agreed rate, (2) a local government-set rate, or (3) 350% of the Medicare rate for the same area. The bill also requires insurers to pay ambulance providers directly within 30 days for clean claims, prohibits billing patients for extra costs beyond standard copays/deductibles, and excludes air ambulance services from coverage. This directly affects health insurance plans, ambulance providers, and patients receiving emergency ambulance care.

Maddy summarySB 710 expands Wisconsin Shares child care assistance to tribal-regulated providers operating under tribal licensing authority on tribal land. It creates a new eligibility category for tribal child care providers who meet federal requirements (42 USC 9858) and have a state agreement. Families using Wisconsin Shares can now choose these tribal providers as an option, alongside licensed centers and school-based programs. The bill ensures tribal providers can access state payments while aligning with federal child care funding rules.

Maddy summarySJR 3 is a non-binding resolution that proclaims January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or impose legal obligations. The resolution aims to raise public awareness about human trafficking, defined as exploitation through force, fraud, or coercion, and aligns with statewide efforts to combat this issue. The proclamation is intended for general public education and community engagement, not specific policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 117 requires public and participating private schools to designate all athletic teams based solely on the sex assigned at birth (as recorded on a birth certificate), labeling them as "males" or "females." It prohibits students designated as male from participating on female-designated teams or using female-designated facilities like locker rooms. The bill allows female-identified students to sue schools for violations of these rules and creates legal protections against retaliation for reporting such violations. This directly affects school athletic programs and students participating in sports, particularly those whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth.

Maddy summarySB 116 requires University of Wisconsin and technical college athletic programs to designate intercollegiate or club sports teams as "male" or "female" based solely on the sex assigned at birth (per birth certificate). It prohibits students assigned male at birth from participating on women's teams or using women's locker rooms. The bill allows female students to sue institutions for violations denying participation or causing harm, and permits institutions to sue organizations penalizing them for compliance. This law applies to all affected athletic teams starting in the first semester after its effective date.

Maddy summarySB 18 standardizes how schools and districts are rated in annual accountability reports by maintaining consistent scoring methods. It requires using the same cut scores, score ranges, and performance categories (like "Proficient" or "Advanced") that were applied in the 2019-20 school year for all schools and districts. For grades 3-8 English/language arts and math tests, it mandates alignment with National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standards, while grades 9-11 will use scoring from the 2021-22 school year. This bill directly affects public schools and districts in the state that receive these accountability reports. The changes apply starting with the 2025-26 school year.

Maddy summarySJR 9 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Justice David T. Prosser Jr., a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice and state legislator who died in December 2024. It commemorates his 40+ years of public service, including 18 years in the Wisconsin Legislature and 18 years on the Supreme Court. The resolution, introduced by multiple legislators, expresses the Wisconsin Legislature's tribute to his career and legacy without creating any new laws or policy changes.