Sen. Tim Carpenter

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution honors the life and legacy of Anne Arnesen, a longtime advocate for children and families who passed away in January 2026. The resolution recognizes her contributions as a community leader, school board member, and activist who served in various roles including leading the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families for 22 years. It formally acknowledges her dedication to civil service, women's rights, and social justice through her work with multiple organizations and her years of public service. The bill is a commemorative measure intended to recognize her impact on Wisconsin rather than to change any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill congratulates the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team on winning the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. It specifically highlights the achievements of Wisconsin-affiliated players and staff, including former and current University of Wisconsin athletes who competed on the team. The resolution formally commends the athletes, coaches, and support staff for their success and wishes them continued success. The bill is a ceremonial measure with no regulatory or policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution directs the Wisconsin Senate to schedule additional floor sessions between April 14 and April 16, 2026, and to hold extraordinary sessions through December 31, 2026, to consider bills aimed at reducing costs for Wisconsinites. The measure specifically calls for passing legislation introduced by minority party members that address affordability issues such as utility rates, health care premiums, child care costs, and agricultural expenses. It was introduced in March 2026 by a bipartisan group of senators and referred to the Committee on Senate Organization, where it later failed to adopt following a vote to withdraw from committee. The resolution does not create new laws itself but establishes procedural requirements for the Senate to convene additional voting periods during the 2025-26 legislative session.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Wisconsin Climate Corps program, a state initiative designed to create jobs in environmental restoration, home weatherization, and climate resilience projects while providing employment training for underserved communities. The program would be managed by a nonprofit organization under the oversight of a new board that includes state officials, legislators, and representatives from conservation and youth training groups. Key provisions require that at least 50% of workers come from underserved populations, pay workers a minimum of $15 per hour, provide health insurance equivalent to a gold-level plan, and offer weekly housing stipends or accommodations. Projects would focus on activities such as planting trees, restoring natural lands, building community gardens, and improving energy efficiency in homes across both urban and rural areas.

Maddy summarySB 965 modifies collective bargaining rules specifically for employees of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (UWHCA). It allows multiple bargaining units at UWHCA to share a single representative if majority employees in each unit agree, streamlining negotiations under existing public employee bargaining laws. The bill also updates definitions and references to clarify that UWHCA employees are covered under collective bargaining agreements for benefits like health insurance and sick leave accrual. These changes directly affect UWHCA staff by adjusting how their workplace representation and benefit calculations are structured under state law.

Maddy summarySJR 129 is a symbolic resolution recognizing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as holidays in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or mandate time off, but aims to formally acknowledge these major Islamic holidays to promote inclusivity. The resolution highlights the religious significance of the holidays - Eid al-Fitr ending Ramadan and Eid al-Adha marking the Hajj pilgrimage - and encourages schools and employers to be mindful of these observances. It directly affects Wisconsin’s Muslim community (approximately 70,000 people) by affirming their cultural and religious practices.

Maddy summarySB 983 clarifies the definition of "veteran" for Wisconsin state veterans benefits. It creates a new statutory definition (45.01(12)(jm)) specifically including National Guard members who completed their initial service obligation and received an honorable or general discharge under honorable conditions. This change ensures these individuals qualify for state benefits under the new category, while removing them from the general "veteran" definition in 45.51(2)(a)1. The bill directly affects eligible National Guard members seeking state-level veterans' benefits.

Maddy summarySB 985 amends a statute to define "veteran at risk" for the veterans at risk alert system. The bill specifies that a "veteran at risk" includes veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard, or military reservists known to have a physical or mental health condition related to their military service, based on reports. This definition change directly affects how the alert system identifies individuals eligible for support. The bill is purely definitional and does not create new programs or alter system operations.

Maddy summarySB 1032 would create a sales and use tax exemption for over-the-counter drugs. The bill defines qualifying drugs as those with specific labeling, including a drug facts panel or a list of active ingredients. This exemption would remove sales tax from the purchase of these medications, directly affecting consumers buying common drugs like pain relievers or cold medicine and retailers selling them. The policy change applies only to drugs meeting the defined labeling requirements, not to prescription medications or other products.

Maddy summarySJR 125 is a commemorative resolution honoring George Meyer, a former Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) secretary and conservation leader, for his decades of service protecting waterways, advancing tribal treaty rights, and expanding state land conservation. It was adopted by the Wisconsin Legislature to recognize his legacy following his death in 2025, citing his work on wetland regulations, mercury emissions rules, and land acquisitions during his DNR tenure (1993-2001). The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally expresses legislative gratitude for his contributions to Wisconsin's environmental stewardship.