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Bills from the 2009–10 session

Senate Bill 275

Employment discrimination based on credit history

Topics: Credit, Discrimination in employment

Stopped in committee

It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Aug 26, 2009

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

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

It sat with the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs.

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.

Current law prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of age, race, creed, color, disability, marital status, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction record, military service, or use or nonuse of a lawful product off the employer's premises during nonworking hours. Current law also specifies that employment discrimination because of arrest record includes requesting an individual to supply information regarding any arrest record, except when employment depends on the bondability of the individual, and that employment discrimination because of conviction record does not include refusing to employ an individual who has been convicted of an offense the circumstances of which substantially relate to the circumstances of the particular job or who is not bondable when employment depends on the bondability of the individual.

This bill prohibits employment discrimination based on credit history. The bill specifies that employment discrimination because of credit history includes an employer, labor organization, employment agency, licensing agency, or other person requesting an applicant, employee, member, licensee, or any other individual, on an application form or otherwise, to authorize that person to procure the individual's credit history, except that it is not employment discrimination to request that authorization: 1) if the circumstances of an individual's credit history are substantially related to the circumstances of a particular job or licensed activity; or 2) if employment, membership, or licensing depends on the bondability of the individual and the individual may not be bondable due to his or her credit rating.

Read the full summary

The bill also specifies that it is not employment discrimination because of credit history to refuse to employ, admit, or license, or to bar or terminate from employment, membership, or licensing, any individual if: 1) the circumstances of an individual's credit history are substantially related to the circumstances of the particular job; or 2) if the individual is not bondable when bondability is required by state or federal law, administrative regulation, or established business practice of the employer.

Under the bill, "credit history" means information provided in a consumer report under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which defines "consumer report" as any written, oral, or other communication by a consumer reporting agency bearing on an individual's creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living, which is used or expected to be used as a factor in establishing the individual's eligibility for credit, insurance, employment, or any other purpose allowed under federal law. The FCRA further defines "consumer reporting agency" as any person who, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on individuals for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties, and who uses any means or facility of interstate commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its ⁠. All 2 are Democrats.

14 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 16 names

Authors (2)

Signed on in support (14)

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.

What happened

  1. Apr 28, 2010

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Dec 15, 2009

    The committee held a public hearing.

  3. Sep 14, 2009

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  4. Aug 26, 2009

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

  5. Aug 26, 2009

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Aug 26, 2009 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Taylor and Coggs;Cosponsored by Representatives Hixson, Berceau, Grigsby, Toles, Hintz, Zepnick, Pope-Roberts, Schneider, Parisi, Pasch, A. Williams, Turner, Fields and Hilgenberg

  2. Aug 26, 2009 · Senate

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

  3. Sep 14, 2009 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Dec 15, 2009 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Apr 21, 2010 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 1 offered by Senator Taylor

  6. Apr 21, 2010 · Senate

    Senate substitute amendment 2 offered by Senator Taylor

  7. Apr 28, 2010 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

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

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

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

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