Informing Parents of Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Assembly Bill 74 was signed into law this week, requiring parents to be promptly notified if their child becomes an alleged victim of sexual misconduct by a school employee. It also requires school boards to inform parents as to how to access records related to school employee discipline.
The bill was eminently necessary, as no parental notification timeline existed previously. Parents will now learn of the accusations by 5pm of the school day on which the incident allegedly occurred, or by noon the next calendar day if the school learns after instructional hours. In light of recently exposed records indicating mishandling and shielding of over 200 cases of sexual conduct and grooming in Wisconsin public schools, this new law creates at least a minimum condition that parents be aware of how the district handles employee misconduct. More importantly, this will allow victimized youth to receive the timely support that they need.
I’m thankful to Representative Franklin for introducing this effort in the interest of intervention, transparency, and accountability, and I’m glad it received the bipartisan support it deserved.
Bureaucratic Hurdle for Development
Preventing unnecessary costs and delays is critical for new development and construction. Unfortunately, these issues will worsen with the veto of AB 450, a bill that would have reasonably delayed the deadline for implementing a new building code for large commercial projects. Large projects can require years of financing, engineering, and planning. Forcing developers to renege on locally approved plans that are long in the making will increase costs and completion time.
This bill established a critical grace period that would have authorized the introduction of updated safety standards in April of 2026, while preventing long-planned projects from being derailed by rapid regulations. AB 450 was a pragmatic opportunity to balance new standards with practical realities. With the legislature no longer permitted to review and prevent new codes and rules, the executive branch will, unfortunately, proceed with swiftly increasing the regulatory burden.
New Requirement on Wisconsin Roads
This week also included an update to Wisconsin’s Move Over Law. Assembly Bill 271, now Act 54, requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when approaching disabled vehicles on the side of the road. Many drivers already follow this practice, and it is now codified as a legal requirement to increase roadway safety by protecting disabled vehicles.
Over the past five years, 145 people in Wisconsin have been injured, and five killed, while inside or near a roadside vehicle. In addition, 73 emergency responders were hit by a vehicle while working on the side of the road. As this new law is enforced, please share this change and educate fellow drivers as Wisconsin works towards safer roadways.
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Contact Me
My office is always available to help with any state-related questions or concerns you may have. You can reach my office at (608) 237-9104, or email me at Rep.Steffen@legis.wisconsin.
