Sen. Jamie Wall

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (SJR 91) that declares October 2025 and October 2026 as "Breast Cancer Awareness Months" in Wisconsin. It does not create new laws or allocate funds - it is a symbolic gesture to promote public awareness, early detection, and treatment of breast cancer. The resolution cites Wisconsin-specific statistics on breast cancer incidence and mortality to highlight the issue. It directly affects Wisconsin residents by encouraging community-focused awareness efforts during those months.

Maddy summarySB 516 requires the state group insurance board to study the potential costs and savings for Wisconsin school districts and current health insurance plan participants if school districts were either required to join or could voluntarily join a state-offered group health insurance plan. The bill allocates $300,000 for these actuarial studies, which must be completed within six months and reported to the governor and legislature. It does not change current participation rules but examines two scenarios: mandatory statewide enrollment versus voluntary participation. The study will specifically analyze financial impacts on school districts and existing plan members. This bill is procedural, focusing solely on gathering data before any policy decisions.

Maddy summarySJR 78 is a ceremonial resolution honoring Chief Justice Ann Walsh Bradley upon her retirement from the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The resolution formally expresses the Wisconsin Legislature's appreciation for her decades of service, including her historic role as the first woman elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1995) and her leadership as Chief Justice (2025). It recognizes her career milestones, community involvement, and global work advancing gender and human rights through judicial organizations. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic tribute to her service.

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 562 requires recipients of economic development grants or loans exceeding $500,000 to submit detailed expenditure reports within 120 days after their fiscal year ends, including verification from an independent auditor. It mandates that these recipients provide supporting documents for inspection and includes these reporting requirements in grant contracts. The bill exempts local governments (cities, counties, tribes) and University of Wisconsin System institutions if they already include these funds in standard annual audits and submit those audits within 120 days of program completion. This change directly affects organizations receiving significant state economic development funding, adding reporting obligations unless they meet existing audit standards. The policy focuses on ensuring proper use of public funds through standardized financial reporting.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Wisconsin's school funding formulas by increasing state appropriations by $493.8 million for the 2025-26 school year and $699.9 million for 2026-27. It adjusts per-pupil revenue limits to add $325 for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, and establishes a new supplemental hold harmless aid provision to prevent school districts from receiving less state aid than calculated in the 2024-25 school year. These changes directly affect all public school districts in Wisconsin that receive state educational funding. The bill replaces previous funding mechanisms with updated formulas while maintaining specific financial adjustments for affected school years.

Maddy summarySJR 96 is a proposed resolution that would officially recognize October 2025 as "Careers in Construction Month" in Wisconsin. It highlights the construction industry's significance to the state's economy - employing roughly 6% of Wisconsin's workforce - and emphasizes career pathways that allow workers to advance without student debt. The resolution encourages employers, schools, and community groups to host events like job fairs during October 2025 to promote construction careers to students. This is a ceremonial recognition, not a law creating new requirements or funding.

Maddy summarySB 572 establishes new rules for selling and reselling entertainment event tickets. It requires sellers to clearly disclose the total price (including all fees), seat details, and itemized costs before purchase. The bill bans selling tickets not in a seller’s possession ("speculative sales"), restricts reselling tickets before public sales or through fan clubs, and prohibits deceptive practices like using artist names without permission. It also mandates full refunds within 10 days for canceled events, counterfeit tickets, or tickets that don’t match descriptions.

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 425 establishes an annual sales tax holiday for specific school-related items, directly affecting families purchasing back-to-school supplies. The bill defines "eligible property" to include clothing (excluding accessories like belts), school supplies (e.g., notebooks, calculators), school art supplies (e.g., paints, sketch pads), and instructional materials (e.g., textbooks), while excluding items like protective gear or computer accessories. It creates new statutory provisions (77.54 (76)) to clarify qualifying items and mandates state reimbursement to counties/municipalities for lost tax revenue (via 20.835 (4)(a)). The holiday applies annually during a designated period, allowing tax-free purchases of these defined items.