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Bills from the 2013–14 session

Assembly Bill 531

Creation of a wage council to study and make recommendations concerning increases in the living wage and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

Stopped in committee

It never got a ⁠, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Nov 25, 2013

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. No public hearing was held.

  3. Assembly vote, not reached

  4. Senate vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 8, 2014: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Labor. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.

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.

Under the current state minimum wage law, employers are required to pay to their employees a living wage, which is defined as compensation that is sufficient to enable an employee to maintain himself or herself under conditions consistent with his or her welfare. Under that law, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is required to investigate and determine the living wage. If, upon investigation, DWD finds that there is reasonable cause to believe that the wages paid to any employee are not a living wage, DWD must appoint a wage council, selected so as fairly to represent employers, employees, and the public, to assist DWD in its investigations and determinations. In determining the living wage, DWD may consider the effect that an increase in the living wage might have on the economy of the state, including the effect of a living wage increase on job creation, retention, and expansion; on the availability of entry-level jobs; and on regional economic conditions within the state.

This bill creates a permanent wage council in DWD and requires the wage council, early in each regular session of the legislature, to convene for the purpose of studying the need for an increase in the living wage and making recommendations to DWD for any changes in the living wage that may be necessary to ensure that the wages paid to any employee are a living wage. The wage council, in conducting that study and making those recommendations, and DWD, in revising the living wage, must consider: 1) any changes in the consumer price index; 2) the effect of those changes on the real income of employees in this state; and 3) the effect that an increase in the living wage might have on the economy of the state, including the effect of a living wage increase on job creation, retention, and expansion; on the availability of entry-level jobs; and on regional economic conditions within the state.

Read the full summary

If DWD approves the findings and recommendations of the wage council, DWD may promulgate rules to revise the living wage.

Finally, under the bill, the biennial living wage revision procedure specified in the bill does not preclude DWD from convening the wage council at other times during the regular session of the legislature if, upon investigation, DWD finds that there is reasonable cause to believe that the wages paid to any employee are not a living wage. If DWD so convenes the wage council, the wage council so convened must study the need for an increase in the living wage and report its recommendations as provided in the bill.

Who's behind it

32 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 32 are Democrats.

5 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 37 names

Authors (32)

Signed on in support (5)

What it would cost

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

What happened

  1. Apr 8, 2014

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Dec 23, 2013

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  3. Nov 25, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Labor.

  4. Nov 25, 2013

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Nov 25, 2013 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Sinicki, Barnes, Kahl, Barca, Berceau, Bernard Schaber, Bewley, Billings, Clark, Danou, Doyle, Goyke, Hebl, Hesselbein, Hulsey, Johnson, Jorgensen, Kolste, Ohnstad, Pasch, Pope, Richards, Ringhand, Sargent, Shankland, Smith, Vruwink, Wachs, Wright, Young, Zamarripa and Zepnick; cosponsored by Senators Harris, Carpenter, T. Cullen, L. Taylor and Vinehout

  2. Nov 25, 2013 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Labor

  3. Dec 23, 2013 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Apr 8, 2014 · Assembly

    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