Senate Bill 49
Changing the procedures for filling vacant civil service positions in the city of Milwaukee
Topics: Civil service
Became law
The governor signed it on May 29, 2009. It's .
-
Introduced, passed
Feb 11, 2009
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Senate vote, passed
Passed Apr 23, 2009
-
Assembly vote, passed
Passed 63 to 36
-
Governor, passed
Signed
-
Law, here now
2009 Wisconsin Act 18
Latest entry in the official record, Jun 5, 2009: “Published 6-12-2009.”
Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.
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 current law, a first class city (presently only Milwaukee) is required to have a civil service commission (commission). Among the commission's duties is the responsibility to oversee the civil service examinations given by the city and to keep lists of eligible persons who take the examinations for civil service positions in the city. In general, if a vacancy occurs in a nonmanagement civil service position and if the appointing authority chooses not to fill the vacant position by reinstatement, promotion, or reduction, the commission is required to certify to the appointing authority from the list of eligible candidates the three persons ranked highest on the list, based on examination scores and other requirements established by the commission, and up to three veterans or spouses of veterans whose grade, plus veterans preference points, is equal to or higher than the lowest grade on the list of eligibles. Similarly, if the vacancy occurs in a civil service position that is managerial, supervisory, or confidential, the commission currently certifies to the appointing authority the five persons ranked highest on the list or, if the list of eligible candidates is more than 50, the top 10 percent ranked highest on the list up to a maximum of ten. A similar number of veterans or spouses of veterans is also certified under the same procedures that are used for a nonmanagement civil service position.
Under this bill, for vacancies in all civil service positions, the commission may certify to the appointing authority any number of eligible candidates ranked highest on the list, based on rules established by the commission. Also under the bill, all persons on the list with the same test score must be included on the same certification.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Democrats.
10 more lawmakers .
See all 12 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Jeffrey Plale · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
Signed on in support (10)
- Annette Williams · Democrat, Assembly
- Jason Fields · Democrat, Assembly
- Tamara Grigsby · Democrat, Assembly
- Frederick Kessler · Democrat, Assembly
- Jon Richards · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Barbara Toles · Democrat, Assembly
- Robert Turner · Democrat, Assembly
- Leon Young · Democrat, Assembly
- Josh Zepnick · 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, 4 to 1 · Apr 14, 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 4, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote to pass it
Passed, 63 to 36 · 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 63, Noes 36”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Jun 5, 2009
The new law was published.
-
May 29, 2009
The governor signed it. It became 2009 Wisconsin Act 18.
-
May 28, 2009
Sent to the governor.
-
Apr 28, 2009
The Assembly passed it too, 63 to 36.
-
Apr 23, 2009
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Apr 23, 2009
The Assembly received it.
-
Apr 23, 2009
The Senate passed it.
-
Apr 14, 2009
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 1.
-
Mar 19, 2009
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Mar 3, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Feb 23, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Feb 20, 2009
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Feb 11, 2009
Sent to the Senate Committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs.
-
Feb 11, 2009
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 11, 2009 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Taylor and Plale;Cosponsored by Representatives Sinicki, Richards, Toles, Fields, A. Williams, Young, Zepnick, Turner, Grigsby and Kessler
- Feb 11, 2009 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs
- Feb 20, 2009 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 23, 2009 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 3, 2009 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 19, 2009 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Apr 14, 2009 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Apr 14, 2009 · Senate
Report passage recommended by committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs, Ayes 4, Noes 1
- Apr 14, 2009 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Apr 20, 2009 · Senate
Placed on calendar 4-23-2009 by committee on Senate Organization
- Apr 23, 2009 · Senate
Read a second time
- Apr 23, 2009 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Apr 23, 2009 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Apr 23, 2009 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Apr 23, 2009 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 23, 2009 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Apr 23, 2009 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Apr 23, 2009 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 4-28-2009 by committee on Rules
- 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 63, Noes 36
- Apr 28, 2009 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 7:02 A.M. on 4-29-2009 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 8
- Apr 29, 2009 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Apr 29, 2009 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- May 6, 2009 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled on 5-6-2009
- May 28, 2009 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 5-28-2009
- May 29, 2009 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 5-29-2009. 2009 Wisconsin Act 18
- Jun 5, 2009 · Senate
Published 6-12-2009.
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