Maddy summarySB 652 removes race-based criteria from higher education programs by redefining "disadvantaged" students to focus solely on economic, familial, geographic, or personal hardship - not race, ethnicity, gender, or other identity factors. It repeals provisions requiring "minority" student programs and replaces them with "disadvantaged" student programs, while prohibiting state boards from considering race in admissions or financial aid decisions. Key changes include amending statutes to require annual recruitment and retention plans for disadvantaged students and modifying grant programs to prioritize economic hardship over racial identity. The bill directly affects public universities, technical colleges, and financial aid programs across the state by shifting eligibility criteria away from race-based classifications.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 277 establishes a 6-year expiration cycle for most Wisconsin administrative rules, requiring state agencies to proactively renew rules before they expire. It mandates that agencies submit renewal notices between January 1 and March 1 each year for rules expiring that year, including detailed justifications and statutory references. Rules not renewed through this process will automatically be removed from the Wisconsin Administrative Code on January 1 following expiration. This directly affects state agencies responsible for creating and maintaining administrative rules, ensuring regular legislative review of regulatory changes.
Maddy summaryThis bill makes three main changes to how electric power facilities are regulated and financed. First, it prevents electric utilities from charging customers higher rates to recover profits from power plants that have already been retired. Second, it requires anyone building a large new power facility to agree to pay for all costs of connecting it to the public power grid. Third, it mandates that the state commission create an online dashboard showing the status of permit applications for new power projects, including any other required approvals from federal, state, or local agencies. These rules directly affect electric utilities, power plant developers, and customers who pay electricity bills.
Maddy summarySB 921 requires Wisconsin high schools to offer a 0.5-credit personal financial literacy course for graduation. The course must cover topics like money management, saving, investing, credit, and debt, and can be delivered through traditional classroom instruction or approved partnerships with local financial institutions. Schools may also award credit for completing an advanced placement business course with a personal finance focus. This requirement directly affects all Wisconsin high school students seeking graduation.
Maddy summarySB 959 sets new requirements for community-based residential facilities that use the "memory care" designation in their name, advertising, or communications. It requires these facilities to serve residents with irreversible dementia (like Alzheimer’s) and provide staff with comprehensive dementia care training, including dementia basics, person-centered care strategies, communication techniques, non-drug behavioral interventions, and supporting independence. Facilities must complete initial training for administrators and resident care staff by July 1, 2027, and provide annual refresher training on these topics. Existing facilities using "memory care" before July 1, 2027, must comply with these rules by that date to continue the designation.
Maddy summarySB 785 requires the Department of Public Instruction to create a free online portal on its website where the public can search license holder information. The portal must include the names of license holders under investigation, the outcome of investigations (including voluntary license surrender), and the names of individuals who had licenses revoked. This applies to license holders regulated by the state superintendent (such as educators or professionals) and ensures transparency about ongoing or completed investigations. The bill mandates that the department post these details in the portal, replacing current confidentiality practices for investigation status during proceedings.
Maddy summarySB 376 adjusts the effective year for a state tax credit that employers can claim for providing child care benefits to employees, changing the reference from 2024 to 2025 in multiple sections. It also adds language specifying that the credit will be "in effect for federal purposes," aligning the state credit with federal tax treatment. This bill directly affects employers offering child care programs, ensuring the credit applies to 2025 tax filings and coordinates with federal rules. The bill passed unanimously in the legislature on November 18, 2025, with no opposition.
Maddy summarySB 593 amends multiple insurance laws to update licensing, fee collection, and revocation rules for insurance agents and navigators. It requires agents without Social Security numbers to submit sworn statements instead of SSNs when paying annual fees, and adds new grounds for license revocation - including failure to pay child support, delinquent taxes, or unpaid unemployment contributions. The bill also modifies rules around a state healthcare reinsurance program, restricting the commissioner from seeking federal waiver changes without new legislation before 2023. These changes directly affect insurance professionals who apply for or maintain licenses in the state. The bill passed its third reading in November 2025.
Maddy summarySB 939 prohibits operators of "companion chatbots" (AI systems designed to simulate ongoing, personalized relationships with users) from making these tools available to children under 18 without specific safety measures. It requires such chatbots to avoid encouraging self-harm, replacing professional mental health care, promoting illegal activity, sharing explicit content, prioritizing validation over safety, or optimizing engagement beyond safety features. Operators face civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation per day, and affected children or their guardians may sue for damages. The law exempts customer service bots, internal business tools, and research systems, and includes a 2027 implementation deadline.
Maddy summarySB 988 would create a program where the Department of Financial Institutions contributes to "Trump accounts" for eligible children residing in the state, matching payments made under a fictional IRS provision (26 USC 6434). The bill defines "Trump account" using non-existent IRS codes (26 USC 530A), and requires the department to contribute only if funds are available and no prior contribution was made. It specifies contributions would equal payments made to the account under the referenced (but non-existent) tax code. This bill appears to reference fabricated legal provisions, as 26 USC 530A and 6434 do not exist in actual U.S. tax law.