Sen. Tim Carpenter

Maddy summarySB 433 creates a new $60 million annual grant program for local governments to fund traffic calming infrastructure projects. It directly affects counties, cities, villages, towns, and federally recognized tribes by providing funding for projects designed to slow vehicle speeds, such as speed bumps or road redesigns. Projects must align with the federal transportation alternatives program and be administered by the state Department of Transportation. The bill establishes a formal grant process with application requirements and evaluation criteria, but does not change existing traffic laws or require local matching funds.

Maddy summarySB 12 creates a sales and use tax exemption for gun safes and firearm safety devices. The bill defines qualifying items as locked containers (using combinations, keys, or biometrics) designed solely for secure storage - not display cases - and safety devices preventing unauthorized firearm access. It clarifies that firearms sold with safety devices already installed are taxed as firearms, not as safety devices. This exemption applies directly to consumers purchasing these specific storage or safety products.

Maddy summarySB 581 amends Wisconsin statutes to clarify and strengthen shared governance roles for faculty, academic staff, and students at University of Wisconsin System institutions. The bill gives faculty primary responsibility for advising on academic matters and requires STEM representation in faculty governance structures. Academic staff gain defined roles in shaping policies affecting their work, while students gain formal input on student life policies and control over fees supporting campus activities. These changes directly affect all faculty, academic staff, and students across UW System campuses by defining their specific participatory roles in institutional decision-making.

Maddy summarySB 565 amends Wisconsin law to explicitly prohibit private schools participating in parental choice or scholarship programs (like the Special Needs Scholarship Program) from discriminating against students based on gender identity or gender expression. It specifically requires these schools, which may limit admission by sex, to admit students whose gender identity aligns with the sex they limit to. The bill adds a $1,000 penalty for school officials who intentionally violate these anti-discrimination rules and updates reporting requirements for school compliance. This directly affects students seeking enrollment in participating private schools and mandates new policies for school boards and governing bodies.

Maddy summarySB 368 requires individuals residing with children or knowing children will be present in their home to store firearms in a securely locked container, locked location, or with a trigger lock engaged. It directly affects households with children, including parents and guardians. Violations are classified as a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class I felony for subsequent offenses. The bill also adds provisions allowing district attorneys to consider parental impact in prosecution decisions and delays arrests for 7 days if a child is injured or dies in an accidental shooting.

Maddy summarySB 336 establishes new rules for private firearm transfers in Wisconsin, primarily affecting individuals selling or gifting firearms to non-family members. The bill requires background checks for most private sales through a firearms dealer, including a $10 fee per check, and creates an exception for transfers to family members (spouse, parent, child, etc.) if the recipient is 18+ and not prohibited from owning firearms. Violating these rules results in a misdemeanor charge with fines up to $10,000 or a 2-year firearms possession ban. The law also mandates new forms requiring buyers to certify they won’t transfer firearms to prohibited individuals, with false statements classified as a felony.

Maddy summarySJR 70 is a ceremonial resolution designating June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Day" in Wisconsin. It directly recognizes Wisconsin's over 29,000 women veterans, who currently make up about 10% of the state's veteran population. The resolution commemorates the anniversary of President Truman signing the Women's Armed Services Integration Act (June 12, 1948) and acknowledges women veterans' service and unique challenges like higher rates of PTSD and unemployment. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new programs or alter existing laws - it simply urges the state legislature to formally honor women veterans on this date.

Maddy summarySB 513 requires public high school districts to provide voter registration forms and nonpartisan voting information to students who become eligible to vote (typically age 18). Schools must distribute the state-prescribed registration form along with materials explaining voting's role in democracy. This applies to students meeting voting eligibility criteria within their school district. The bill aims to increase voter registration accessibility during high school, directly affecting eligible students and school districts.

Maddy summarySB 512 allows public high schools to serve as voter registration sites for enrolled students and school staff during regular school days. It requires municipal clerks to work with school boards to appoint special registration deputies at each high school, who collect completed forms and forward them to the municipal clerk. Students who register while under 18 will be automatically added to the voter rolls when they turn 18, provided they meet eligibility requirements. The bill directly affects high school students and staff in municipalities with public high schools, streamlining registration access during the school year. Private and tribal high schools with many local residents may also participate under specific conditions.

Maddy summarySB 514 allows 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote using standard registration methods, such as online or mail-in forms. The bill creates a new section (6.31) specifying that preregistration is available for eligible individuals aged 16 or 17 under existing voter eligibility rules. Crucially, preregistered names cannot appear on official voter lists until the individual turns 18, ensuring they cannot vote before reaching the legal voting age. This change streamlines the process for young people to become active voters once they turn 18, without altering the minimum voting age requirement.