Sen. Romaine Quinn

Maddy summarySB 213 creates two new tax credits for rail infrastructure in Wisconsin: a 50% credit for modernization (e.g., new track, switches, rehabilitation) and a 50% credit for maintenance (e.g., repairs, labor, safety improvements). It directly affects rail infrastructure owners or operators certified by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation under Section 238.309. The modernization credit caps at $2 million annually per claimant, while the maintenance credit limits to $5,000 per mile of track. Credits can be transferred to other taxpayers or carried forward for up to five years if not fully used in the claim year.

Maddy summarySB 284 defines key terms for a future sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit program. It specifies that "renewable biomass" includes wood waste, crop residues, dairy byproducts, and other organic agricultural waste, and defines "sustainable aviation fuel" as aviation fuel derived from this biomass and meeting U.S. Department of Energy standards. The bill replaces outdated terms like "energy crops" with "renewable biomass" throughout the tax credit framework. This definitional bill enables future tax credits for SAF producers but does not establish the credit amount or implementation details. (Note: The bill is still pending scheduling as of the latest action on 2025-11-06.)

Maddy summarySB 607 modifies Wisconsin's firearm laws by expanding exemptions for law enforcement officers and adjusting hunting restrictions. It repeals existing limits on concealed carry licenses and creates new exemptions allowing peace officers to carry firearms in vehicles or aircraft while on duty. The bill also reduces the hunting restriction distance near schools and hospitals from 1,700 to 1,200 feet. These changes directly affect law enforcement personnel and hunters, while maintaining existing prohibitions for general firearm use in vehicles and near roadways.

Maddy summarySB 378 aligns Wisconsin's election procedures with the federal Electoral Count Reform Act. It requires the state election commission to publish all key election deadlines (including recounts) on its website. For presidential elections, the bill mandates that municipal clerks deliver ballots to county clerks by 9 a.m. on Saturday (instead of the previous deadline), and county clerks must remain open that Saturday to accept filings. It also adjusts timelines for counting provisional ballots and reconciling absentee and in-person votes to prevent duplicate voting. This bill directly affects municipal and county clerks, election boards, and the processing of ballots in presidential elections.

Maddy summarySB 595 establishes new procedures to verify voter eligibility under federal requirements. It mandates that Wisconsin's Elections Commission match voter registration data with state databases (DMV, vital records, corrections) to confirm U.S. citizenship and remove ineligible voters. Municipal clerks must conduct annual audits, report results monthly, and verify registration changes in real-time. The bill also updates complaint processes for eligibility disputes, requiring the Commission to resolve such cases within 89 days and publish outcomes publicly. These changes directly affect the Elections Commission, local election officials, and voters whose registration is reviewed for citizenship status.

Maddy summarySB 341 changes how Wisconsin school districts receive state funding for the 2024-2030 school years. It gradually increases the percentage of annual aid paid in September (from 15% to 25%) while decreasing the June payment (from 35% to 25%), with fixed 25% payments in December and March each year. This affects all Wisconsin school districts that receive state equalization aid. The bill does not change the total annual funding amount, only the timing of payments.

Maddy summarySB 553 clarifies that certain medical procedures performed to save a pregnant woman's life do not count as "abortion" under state law. The bill creates specific definitions for terms like "anembryonic pregnancy," "ectopic pregnancy," and "molar pregnancy," and explicitly states that abortion does not include procedures like emergency cesarean sections, removal of a dead fetus, or treatment for these specific conditions when doctors make reasonable efforts to preserve both the mother's and unborn child's life. This directly affects healthcare providers who perform these emergency procedures and pregnant patients facing medical crises. The law updates multiple statutes to ensure these scenarios are excluded from the legal definition of abortion.

Maddy summarySB 671 creates a new criminal offense for grooming a child for sexual activity and establishes penalties for this conduct. The bill amends multiple statutes to define "grooming" as a serious crime, specifically adding it to lists of offenses that bar individuals from certain homes (like relatives' homes or unlicensed childcare settings) if they have prior convictions or plea agreements related to child sexual abuse. It updates definitions of "serious crimes" for entities serving minors, ensuring that grooming violations trigger mandatory reporting and registration requirements under laws like 948.072. This directly affects children at risk of exploitation, individuals convicted of grooming-related offenses, and organizations that provide services to minors.

Maddy summarySB 663 requires the Department of Administration to study overlapping or duplicate legal requirements for new housing construction - including single-family, duplex, and multi-family buildings - from federal, state, and local governments. The study must identify redundancies in these requirements and be completed within one year of the bill's effective date. The department will then submit a report with findings and legislative recommendations to the relevant state committees. This bill does not change existing laws but initiates a review to potentially streamline future housing construction processes.

Maddy summarySB 655 requires the Department of Public Instruction to commission a comprehensive study of all school districts in the state to evaluate potential consolidation opportunities. The study must examine factors like school boundaries, facility conditions, student population trends, staffing, finances, and property values across every district. The resulting report, due within 10 months, must include specific consolidation recommendations with details on projected enrollment, geographic areas affected, and property values for each proposed change. This report will be submitted to the legislature to inform future decisions about school district structure and efficiency.