Sen. Jeff Smith

Maddy summarySB 1027 gives mobile home residents the right to collectively purchase their community if 51% of adult residents approve, requiring owners to provide 60-day notice before selling or closing. The bill creates tax incentives for owners who sell to resident groups, homeowner associations, or nonprofits, and defines "maintenance costs" to exclude capital improvements. It also mandates annual inspections, evacuation plans for emergencies, and requires owners to notify residents of sales offers or foreclosure. These changes directly affect mobile home community owners and residents in Wisconsin, aiming to increase resident control and transparency.

Maddy summarySB 719 allocates $1.887 million for fiscal year 2025-26 and $3.132 million for 2026-27 to purchase and maintain a new cloud-based grant administration system for veterans benefits programs. This system will manage how grants are distributed and tracked for veterans' services. The bill directly affects the Department of Veterans Affairs by funding this technology upgrade to improve the administration of benefits. It does not change eligibility or benefit amounts but aims to streamline the grant process for veterans.

Maddy summarySB 773 increases funding by $5 million for the University of Wisconsin System's freshwater collaborative for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27. This appropriation directly supports the collaborative's work, which focuses on freshwater research and solutions within the UW System. The bill modifies existing budget allocations to provide this specific, dedicated funding for two consecutive fiscal years. It does not change program requirements or create new policies, only adjusting the financial allocation.

Maddy summarySB 717 designates the week of November containing November 11 (Veterans Day) as "Veterans Benefits Education Week" in state law. The bill requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation during this week highlighting veterans' entitled benefits. It directly affects veterans by providing a dedicated period to learn about available benefits through state-led awareness efforts. The measure creates no new benefits or programs, only establishing a recurring observance to improve information access for veterans.

Maddy summarySB 294 prohibits retailers and plant providers from labeling plants as "beneficial to pollinators" if the plants were treated with systemic insecticides that carry specific pollinator warnings on their product labels (such as a "pollinator protection box" or bee/honeybee precautionary statements). The bill directly affects nurseries, garden centers, and other businesses selling plants at retail. It creates a clear requirement: if an insecticide label warns about pollinator harm, the plant cannot be marketed as pollinator-friendly. This policy change aims to prevent misleading marketing by aligning product claims with actual pollinator safety.

Maddy summarySB 297 creates a special "Protect Pollinators" vehicle registration plate requiring a voluntary $25 annual or $50 biennial fee for vehicle owners who choose it. Excess funds from these fees, after covering plate production costs, are deposited into the conservation fund to support pollinator protection programs. The plate must display "Protect Pollinators" and cover the entire plate, with the design approved by the Department of Natural Resources. This affects only drivers who opt for this specific plate, with no mandatory participation.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution (SJR 6) is a ceremonial honor recognizing the life and legacy of Bob Uecker, the longtime Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcaster and entertainer. It formally acknowledges his 54-year broadcasting career with the Brewers, his acting roles (including *Mr. Belvedere* and *Major League*), philanthropy, and contributions to baseball and Wisconsin culture. The resolution has no policy impact - it simply expresses the Wisconsin Legislature’s tribute to Uecker’s "extraordinary contributions" through a symbolic resolution passed on March 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySJR 21 is a ceremonial resolution honoring the late Senator Timothy Francis Cullen, a longtime Wisconsin State Senator and public servant who passed away in December 2024. It commemorates his career, including service as Senate Majority Leader (1982-1986), advocacy for workers' rights and consumer protections, and efforts to promote bipartisan governance and fair redistricting. The resolution has no policy impact - it solely serves to recognize Cullen’s life and public service through formal acknowledgment by the legislature. It was formally passed by both chambers and deposited with the Secretary of State on November 25, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a teacher longevity bonus program for Wisconsin school districts, providing a $7,000 payment to teachers who have been continuously licensed and employed by the same school board for five consecutive school years. The program begins in the 2031-32 school year and allows teachers to receive additional bonuses for each subsequent five-year period of continuous service, provided those years were not already used to qualify for a prior bonus. School boards must annually report eligible teacher names to the Department of Public Instruction, and the funding comes from a new state appropriation. The legislation amends existing statutes to create this new bonus structure and clarifies which school district provisions apply to first-class city school districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to create a tuition exemption for certain nonresident students at University of Wisconsin System institutions. It would allow individuals with approved deferred action status under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to qualify for in-state tuition rates if they have lived in Wisconsin for 12 months before enrolling. The exemption would apply to students registering in semesters following the bill's effective date. This legislation directly affects eligible nonresident students and the state's higher education funding structure.