Sen. Tim Carpenter

Maddy summarySB 856 creates a new $5 million annual scholarship program (biennially) to support Wisconsin students pursuing climate-related education. It directly affects Wisconsin residents enrolled in eligible higher education institutions - such as UW System campuses, technical colleges, tribal colleges, or private nonprofits - who study fields addressing climate change. The program awards up to $5,000 per academic year, with half of scholarships based on merit and half on financial need. Funding comes from the state's Higher Educational Aids Board budget, and students with unresolved child support liens may qualify only if they provide approved payment agreements.

Maddy summarySB 857 establishes the Energy Innovation Grant Program, allocating $10 million annually for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years. The program is administered by the Office of Energy Innovation within the Public Service Commission to fund energy innovation projects. It creates new statutory references (20.155(3)(e) and 196.379) to formalize the grant program and its funding structure. This bill directly affects the Public Service Commission and its Office of Energy Innovation by providing dedicated funding for energy-related grants. The program does not specify eligible projects or recipients, only creating the funding mechanism and administrative structure.

Maddy summarySB 852 adjusts the state's reimbursement rate for special education and school-age parent programs costs. For the 2025-26 school year, eligible costs will be reimbursed at 42% of total costs; starting in 2026-27, this rate increases to 45%. The bill directly affects school districts and programs that provide special education services and school-age parent programs under specific statutes. This change modifies how state funds are distributed to cover these eligible costs, without altering the total appropriation amount.

Maddy summarySB 853 requires local governments (counties, cities, towns, and regional planning commissions) to consider climate change impacts when updating specific plans, including comprehensive plans, community health plans, and hazard mitigation plans. The bill creates a new grant program to cover the full cost of climate planning for these local documents, funded by a dedicated state appropriation. Local governments must apply to the department for grants that finance all expenses related to incorporating climate change considerations into their planning processes. This policy change directly affects how communities develop and update key planning documents, with no new requirements for local funding.

Maddy summarySB 801 modifies Wisconsin election laws to require early canvassing of absentee ballots by municipal boards in certain jurisdictions, shifting processing from polling places to dedicated canvassing meetings. It sets a strict 8 p.m. election day deadline for delivering absentee ballots to election inspectors or canvassing boards, with specific procedures for military and overseas voters. The bill also establishes penalties for violations, though the exact penalties aren't detailed in the provided text. These changes directly affect municipal clerks, election boards, and voters requesting absentee ballots.

Maddy summarySB 840 creates new funding streams to support Wisconsin's Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program, which helps farmers protect working land by restricting development. The bill allocates funds from the "working lands fund" and "capital improvement fund" to cover costs for purchasing conservation easements, with a maximum $25 million public debt limit for these purchases. It directly affects farmers who participate in the program and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which administers the easement acquisitions. The legislation modifies existing statutes to establish these funding mechanisms and streamline payments related to easement agreements.

Maddy summarySB 817 creates a state program to provide electronic payment processing equipment and services (including SNAP/food stamp processing) to farmers' markets and farmers selling directly to consumers. It allocates $367,500 biennially for this purpose and increases the healthy food incentive program appropriation by $1 million annually for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The bill requires payment processors to handle both SNAP transactions and local purchasing incentives funded by third parties. It directly affects farmers' markets, vendors, and SNAP participants by improving access to electronic payments. The program is administered by the Department of Health Services with new staffing support.

Maddy summarySB 841 creates a program to fund local governments in Wisconsin to implement farmland preservation plans through grants. It establishes annual adjustments to the farmland preservation tax credit for inflation using agricultural price data, ensuring the credit amount increases with rising costs. The bill also sets maximum acreage limits for agricultural enterprise areas and authorizes funding for activities like zoning certification, farmland preservation agreements, and monitoring compliance. These changes directly affect Wisconsin farmers (through the tax credit) and local governments (through grant eligibility). The policy shifts focus to maintaining agricultural land by making preservation tools more adaptable to economic changes.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 4, 2026, as "Transit Equity Day" in Wisconsin. It commemorates Rosa Parks' historic protest against unequal public transit access and acknowledges ongoing disparities in transit affordability and accessibility for people of color, low-income residents, and people with disabilities. The resolution serves as a symbolic observance to highlight efforts toward equitable transit systems, with no new policies or funding mechanisms attached.

Maddy summarySB 863 creates a new $10 million annual grant program for Wisconsin school districts to fund energy efficiency projects in school buildings, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill specifically directs the Department of Public Instruction to award these grants, with priority given to projects upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. School districts seeking to reduce energy costs and improve building efficiency directly benefit from this funding. The program includes authority for the department to develop implementing rules and is funded at $10 million for both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.