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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Senate Bill 1

A state minimum wage, permitting the enactment of local living wage ordinances, and granting rule-making authority

Topics: County: Ordinance, Municipality: Ordinance, Town: Laws, Village: Ordinance, Wage: Minimum, Workforce Development, Department of

Passed the Senate, then stopped

The Senate passed it on Feb 10, 2009, but the Assembly never voted on it. A bill has to ⁠. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 8, 2009

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 10, 2009

  4. Assembly vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The Assembly never voted on it.

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 28, 2010: “Failed to concur in pursuant to ⁠”

Read the bill

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What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Currently, the state minimum wage law requires that employers pay a living wage to their employees. Under that law, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has provided, by rule, minimum wages for various types of employees, including employees, generally; minor employees; opportunity employees, which are defined as employees under 20 years of age in their first 90 days of employment with a particular employer; tipped employees; agricultural employees; camp counselors;

golf caddies; students employed at independent colleges and universities for less than 20 hours per week; student learners employed in bona fide school training programs; and individuals who are unable to earn the standard minimum wage because of a disability. DWD has exempted, by rule, from the minimum wage law employees who perform less than 15 hours per week of casual employment, such as baby-sitting or lawn mowing, in and around an employer's home; employees who provide companionship services to elderly or infirm individuals; and elementary and secondary school students performing work-like activities in their schools. DWD has also promulgated rules providing allowances against the minimum wage for employers that provide meals or lodging for their employees.

Read the full summary

Under this bill, DWD will continue to provide the exemptions listed above and separate minimum wages for students employed at independent colleges and universities for less than 20 hours per week, student learners employed in bona fide school training programs, and individuals who are unable to earn the standard minimum wages because of a disability. For other employees, however, the bill sets the minimum wages, effective on June 1, 2009, or on the day after publication of the bill, whichever is later, as follows:

- See PDF for table - See PDF for table - See PDF for table The bill also increases the allowance against the minimum wage that an employer who provides room and board for an employee may take, as follows:

- See PDF for table Beginning on June 1, 2010, the bill requires DWD annually to promulgate rules revising the minimum wages and allowances for meals and lodging established under the bill by determining the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the preceding year and the consumer price index for the current year, adjusting the minimum wages and allowances in effect on May 31 of the current year by that percentage difference, and rounding that result to the nearest multiple of five cents or, in the case of a camp counselor, the nearest dollar.

Finally, current law prohibits a city, village, town, or county from enacting and administering an ordinance establishing a living wage. This bill eliminates that prohibition.

Who's behind it

13 senators are its ⁠. All 13 are Democrats.

22 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 35 names

Authors (13)

Signed on in support (22)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 5 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Labor vote on an amendment

Passed, 3 to 2 · Jan 30, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 18 to 14 · Feb 10, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate amendment 2 to Senate substitute amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 18 to 14 · Feb 10, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate amendment 3 to Senate substitute amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 18 to 14 · Feb 10, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate amendment 4 to Senate substitute amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 18 to 14 · Feb 10, 2009

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 18, Noes 14”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 28, 2010

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Mar 24, 2010

    The committee held a public hearing.

  3. Feb 12, 2009

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Labor.

  4. Feb 12, 2009

    The Assembly received it.

  5. Feb 10, 2009

    The Senate passed it, 18 to 14.

  6. Feb 10, 2009

    The Senate adopted it.

  7. Jan 30, 2009

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  8. Jan 30, 2009

    “Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  9. Jan 29, 2009

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  10. Jan 29, 2009

    The committee held a public hearing.

  11. Jan 8, 2009

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs.

  12. Jan 8, 2009

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 8, 2009 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Decker, Kreitlow, Sullivan, Wirch, Taylor, Lehman, Carpenter, Coggs, Plale, Erpenbach, Miller, Hansen and Vinehout;Cosponsored by Representatives Mason, Sinicki, Milroy, Turner, Hilgenberg, Colon, Grigsby, Pope-Roberts, Pocan, Berceau, Kessler, Zepnick, Black, A. Williams, Garthwaite, Soletski, Sherman, Shilling, Benedict, Toles, Krusick and Young

  2. Jan 8, 2009 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs

  3. Jan 23, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Decker

  4. Jan 29, 2009 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Jan 29, 2009 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Jan 29, 2009 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Jan 30, 2009 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  8. Jan 30, 2009 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  9. Jan 30, 2009 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  10. Feb 5, 2009 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-10-2009 by committee on Senate Organization

  11. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Read a second time

  12. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 to Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Decker

  13. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 1 to Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted

  14. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 to Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator S. Fitzgerald

  15. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 2 to Senate substitute amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14

  16. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 3 to Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator S. Fitzgerald

  17. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 3 to Senate substitute amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14

  18. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 4 to Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Grothman

  19. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate amendment 4 to Senate substitute amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 14

  20. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 adopted

  21. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  22. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  23. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 18, Noes 14

  24. Feb 10, 2009 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  25. Feb 12, 2009 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  26. Feb 12, 2009 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Labor

  27. Mar 24, 2010 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  28. Apr 28, 2010 · Assembly

    Failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence. More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Second chamber's vote

A bill has to pass both the Assembly and the Senate in the same form before it goes to the governor.

Official term: Concurrence

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary