Assembly Bill 156
Coverage for new participating employers under the Wisconsin Retirement System. (FE)
Stopped before the full Assembly voted
The recommended passing it, but the full Assembly never voted on it. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Apr 8, 2015
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, stopped here
Stopped here. The full Assembly never voted on it.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 13, 2016: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), with certain exceptions, all employees of a participating employer are participating employees in the WRS. As participating employees, the employees may receive all retirement benefits under the WRS. The major exceptions for participating employee status include employees who work less than two-thirds time or who are not expected to work longer than a year.
This bill permits an employer that is not currently a participating employer in the WRS, but which elects to become a participating employer in the WRS after the bill's effective date, to be a participating employer only with respect to employees hired on or after the date on which the employer elects to participate in the WRS.
Read the full summary Show less
In other words, an employer may choose not to include its current employees in the WRS. Any employer that makes such an election shall do so in writing on a form provided by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (DETF). The bill, however, allows a local government employer to exclude any of its public utility employees who already receive from the employer substantially similar retirement benefits to those provided under the WRS, as determined by DETF.
Because this bill relates to public employee retirement or pensions, it may be referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems for a report to be printed as an appendix to the bill.
Who's behind it
8 lawmakers are its . 7 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
3 more lawmakers .
See all 11 names Hide the names
Authors (8)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Kathleen Bernier · Republican, Senate
- James Edming · Republican, Assembly
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Bob Kulp · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Keith Ripp · Republican, Assembly
- Jeremy Thiesfeldt · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (3)
- Mark Miller · Democrat, Senate
- Luther S. Olsen · Republican, Senate
- Jerry Petrowski · Republican, Senate
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 3 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Urban and Local Affairs vote on an amendment
Passed, 8 to 0 · May 13, 2015
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Urban and Local Affairs, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Urban and Local Affairs vote to recommend it
Passed, 8 to 0 · May 13, 2015
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Urban and Local Affairs, Ayes 8, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly vote
Passed, 9 to 0 · Nov 18, 2015
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report of joint survey committee on Retirement Systems received, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 13, 2016
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Nov 18, 2015
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Nov 18, 2015
“Report of joint survey committee on Retirement Systems received, Ayes 9, Noes 0” (the official wording)
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Jun 18, 2015
Sent to the Assembly Committee on joint survey committee on Retirement Systems.
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May 13, 2015
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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May 13, 2015
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 0.
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Apr 21, 2015
The committee held a public hearing.
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Apr 13, 2015
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 8, 2015
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Urban and Local Affairs.
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Apr 8, 2015
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Apr 8, 2015 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Thiesfeldt, Edming, Ripp, Mursau, Ballweg, Kulp, Bernier and Hebl; cosponsored by Senators Petrowski, Olsen and Miller
- Apr 8, 2015 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Urban and Local Affairs
- Apr 13, 2015 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 21, 2015 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Apr 21, 2015 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Thiesfeldt
- May 5, 2015 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- May 13, 2015 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Urban and Local Affairs, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- May 13, 2015 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Urban and Local Affairs, Ayes 8, Noes 0
- May 13, 2015 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- May 18, 2015 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Thiesfeldt
- May 27, 2015 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 3 offered by Representative Thiesfeldt
- Jun 18, 2015 · Assembly
Withdrawn from committee on Rules and referred to joint survey committee on Retirement Systems pursuant to Assembly Rule 24 (3)(a)
- Nov 4, 2015 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Nov 18, 2015 · Assembly
Report of joint survey committee on Retirement Systems received, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- Nov 18, 2015 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Laid on the table
- Apr 13, 2016 · 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.
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
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
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
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