Sen. Brad Pfaff

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 1001 establishes a state-run family and medical leave insurance program requiring employers with 50+ employees to provide up to 14 weeks of paid leave annually for qualifying reasons like caring for a newborn, a seriously ill family member, or a family member on active military duty. The bill creates a dedicated trust fund financed through employee and employer contributions to cover leave benefits and amends statutes to define key terms like "family member" and "serious health condition." It also allows local governments to adopt stricter leave requirements and exempts the program from standard rule-making procedures. This policy directly affects employees seeking leave for family or medical needs and employers meeting the 50-employee threshold.

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 summarySB 74 ratifies the Social Work Licensure Compact, allowing social workers licensed in one participating state to practice in other compact states without reapplying for a new license. The bill creates a commission to manage the compact and amends multiple statutes to align licensing requirements across participating states, ensuring social workers meet standardized qualifications. This directly affects social workers seeking to practice across state lines, child welfare agencies (which must employ licensed social workers per amended statutes), and licensing boards. Key provisions include standardizing definitions for "social worker" and "licensed treatment professional" in statutes governing employment and service delivery. The compact aims to streamline licensure for social workers while maintaining consistent professional standards.

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 would establish ranked-choice voting for certain Wisconsin elections and provides funding to help local governments implement the system. It directly affects voters, election officials, and municipalities by changing how ballots are counted and how ties are resolved. The key provisions allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, require tie-breaking by lot when candidates receive equal votes, and authorize grants to counties and cities for updating voting equipment and software. The bill also gives municipalities flexibility in combining polling wards to facilitate ranked-choice voting while maintaining separate vote counts for reporting purposes.

Maddy summarySB 176 creates tax exemptions for income received from broadband expansion grants and federal high-cost program funding. It exempts from state income and franchise taxes funds provided by the state, local governments, tribal governments, or the federal government for broadband expansion projects. This directly affects businesses, internet service providers, and organizations receiving these specific grants or federal funding. The exemption applies to both state broadband grants and federal high-cost program funds (under 47 USC 254) used for expanding broadband access in the state, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a journalism fellowship program within the University of Wisconsin System to place journalism graduates in local newsrooms. The program would create 25 one-year fellowships, each providing a $40,000 salary to individuals who hold degrees in journalism, media, communications, or related fields. A selection committee composed of university faculty and industry professionals would review applications and match fellows with participating newsrooms based on how the placements would improve access to quality local journalism and support media literacy. The legislation appropriates $1 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year to fund these positions and requires applicants to demonstrate how their participation will meet state residents' civic information needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Civic Information Consortium Board attached to the University of Wisconsin System to administer a grant program supporting local journalism and media projects across the state. The board would include representatives from the university system, local media organizations covering print, online, radio, and television, and two public members, with initial staggered terms to ensure continuity. The program would provide $20 million in 2025-26 and $1 million in 2026-27 to a nonprofit corporation that awards grants for projects addressing community information needs, media literacy, and civic engagement, with at least 30 percent of funding directed to rural areas. The bill includes safeguards requiring grant recipients to remain independent from state influence and mandates annual reporting on how funds were used and their impact on public information access.