Senate Bill 46
Arbitration and fair-share agreements during collective bargaining negotiations under the Municipal Employment Relations Act
Topics: Collective bargaining, Public employee, Public employee: Labor union
Became law
The governor signed it on Jun 8, 2009. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Feb 5, 2009
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Apr 28, 2009
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed 52 to 47
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 21
Latest entry in the official record, Jun 12, 2009: “Published 6-22-2009.”
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Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under the Municipal Employment Relations Act (MERA), during contract negotiations (contract hiatus) an employer must maintain the status quo with respect to wages, hours, and conditions of employment (mandatory subjects of bargaining). Any unilateral change in a mandatory subject of bargaining during a contract hiatus breaches the employer's duty to bargain collectively. The maintenance of the status quo during a contract hiatus does not extend to the obligation to arbitrate grievances or to honor fair-share agreements.
This bill makes it a prohibited practice under MERA for an employer or an employee to end any grievance arbitration agreement during a contract hiatus and for an employer to end any fair-share agreement during a contract hiatus.
Who's behind it
6 senators are its . All 6 are Democrats.
3 more lawmakers .
See all 9 names Hide the names
Authors (6)
- Spencer Coggs · Democrat, Senate
- Jon Erpenbach · Democrat, Senate
- Dave Hansen · Democrat, Senate
- John Lehman · Democrat, Senate
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (3)
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Mason, Smith and Zepnick
- James Soletski · Democrat, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There were 2 votes on this bill.
Senate Committee on Labor vote to recommend it
Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 19, 2009
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote to pass it
Passed, 52 to 47 · Apr 28, 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 concurred in, Ayes 52, Noes 47”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Jun 12, 2009
The new law was published.
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Jun 8, 2009
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 21.
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Jun 5, 2009
Sent to the governor.
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Apr 28, 2009
The Assembly passed it too, 52 to 47.
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Apr 28, 2009
“Read” (the official wording)
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Apr 28, 2009
The Assembly received it.
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Apr 28, 2009
The Senate passed it.
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Mar 19, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
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Mar 12, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 19, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 16, 2009
3 more representatives signed on in support.
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Feb 11, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 5, 2009
Sent to the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs.
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Feb 5, 2009
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 5, 2009 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Hansen, Wirch, Lehman, Vinehout, Coggs and Erpenbach;Cosponsored by Representatives Soletski and Berceau
- Feb 5, 2009 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs
- Feb 11, 2009 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 16, 2009 · Senate
Representatives Mason, Smith and Zepnick added as a cosponsors
- Feb 19, 2009 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 12, 2009 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 19, 2009 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 19, 2009 · Senate
Report passage recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 19, 2009 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Apr 23, 2009 · Senate
Placed on calendar 4-28-2009 by committee on Senate Organization
- Apr 28, 2009 · Senate
Read a second time
- Apr 28, 2009 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 28, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Apr 28, 2009 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Apr 28, 2009 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Read
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended and taken up
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 52, Noes 47
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 29, 2009 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- May 1, 2009 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 5-1-2009
- Jun 5, 2009 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 6-5-2009
- Jun 8, 2009 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 6-8-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 21
- Jun 12, 2009 · Senate
Published 6-22-2009.
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. 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
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act
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
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote