Sen. LaTonya Johnson

Maddy summarySB 696 amends Wisconsin's rules for tax incremental districts (TIDs), which local governments use to finance development projects through future property tax revenues. It reduces a 12% tax levy limit to 5% for the town of Cable, adds park development costs to eligible project expenses, and adjusts how property value increases are calculated after TID termination. These changes directly affect cities and towns operating TIDs by altering how they determine tax levy limits and what projects qualify for TID financing. The bill simplifies calculations for property value increments and ensures consistent application of levy limits across districts.

Maddy summarySB 694 establishes a Shared Revenue Advisory Council to study and recommend improvements to how state aid is distributed to counties and municipalities. The council, composed of legislative leaders, municipal/town/county association representatives, and the revenue secretary, will analyze population, property value, and revenue data to evaluate current aid formulas. It requires the council to recommend a new distribution formula for 2027 and beyond that maintains or increases aid for all jurisdictions, while accounting for population changes and property value declines. The bill also sets a baseline funding level of $16,257,500 for supplemental aid in fiscal year 2026-27, with annual adjustments based on tax revenue changes.

Maddy summarySB 789 creates a new grant program providing up to $5 million annually for nonprofit religious organizations to improve security. It directly affects religious groups facing or at risk of bias-motivated attacks, prioritizing those targeted due to their religion. Grants cover physical security upgrades (like fencing or surveillance), staff training, or emergency planning, with a $500,000 limit per organization or $500,000 per member for umbrella groups. The program is funded through a new appropriation in the state budget and administered by the Department of Military Affairs.

Maddy summarySB 775 creates a state program reimbursing corn farmers for nonlethal seed coating costs to prevent sandhill crane damage. Eligible farmers (with at least $6,000 in annual farm revenue) can receive up to 50% of seed coating costs, capped at $6,250 per season. The program prioritizes farmers with federal crane permits, prior reimbursement recipients, or land identified as high-risk for crane damage. It is funded by a new $1.875 million annual appropriation for the Department of Agriculture.

Maddy summarySB 762 creates a state grant program to fund testing and mapping of privately owned wells to assess groundwater quality and contamination. It provides up to $10,000 per grant to counties, cities, villages, or towns for well testing and geologic studies, and up to $10,000 to health departments for public education on well testing. The bill requires grant recipients to submit anonymized testing results to the Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, while directing municipalities to inform residents about well testing importance. The program is funded with $2.5 million annually from the environmental fund, with rule-making authority granted to the Department of Natural Resources.

Maddy summarySB 756 requires health insurance plans in Wisconsin to cover sterilization procedures (such as vasectomies or tubal ligations) and associated patient education/counseling if the plan already covers other contraceptive services. This applies to all health insurance policies and plans that provide contraceptive coverage under existing rules. The bill amends Wisconsin Statute 632.895 to explicitly include sterilization under the same coverage requirements as other contraceptives. It takes effect for new policy years beginning in 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans covering state or local government employees (including disability insurance and self-insured health plans) to cover FDA-approved home test kits for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, when medically necessary and ordered by a healthcare provider. It defines "home test kits" as self-collection products meeting CDC/FDA standards (like CLIA waivers or FDA approval) for use outside clinical settings. Coverage must include all associated lab processing costs for qualifying kits. The law applies to government-affiliated health plans, effective 4 months after publication.

Maddy summarySB 752 creates a Wisconsin program that automatically deposits $25 into college savings accounts for children born in Wisconsin whose parents resided here at birth, provided they're under age 10. The state uses birth record data to identify eligible children, allowing parents to opt out within 30 days. Annual deposits are capped at $2 million, and the program excludes children from safe haven births, adoption records, or "do not contact" flags. This expands the existing college savings program by adding state contributions without requiring new family contributions.

Maddy summarySB 753 redirects $2 million annually from the college savings program trust fund to the Department of Financial Institutions. It authorizes the department to deposit funds into college savings accounts for children born or adopted in the state, residing there, and designated as beneficiaries under existing law (s. 224.50). The bill adds one full-time position to administer these deposits and provides specific funding increases: $446,900 for 2025-26 implementation and $317,900 for 2026-27 ongoing operations. All funds must cover qualified higher education expenses for the children in these accounts.

Maddy summarySB 67 creates a state reimbursement program for schools providing universal free meals to all students. It directly affects public schools, charter schools, private schools, tribal schools, and residential care centers participating in federal meal programs. The bill establishes a 15-cent-per-breakfast reimbursement rate from state funds (using existing appropriations) for schools meeting federal meal requirements, while matching federal reimbursement rates for lunches. It repeals the previous school meal reimbursement statute (115.341) and requires schools to serve free meals to all students without cost during school days. Payments begin for meals served in the 2025-26 school year, with reimbursements calculated based on federal rates and prorated by meal counts.