Assembly Bill 441
Establishing the Wisconsin Veterans Employment Initiative. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 25, 2016. It's .
-
Introduced, passed
Oct 22, 2015
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 16, 2016
-
Senate vote, passed
Passed Mar 15, 2016
-
Governor, passed
Signed
-
Law, here now
2015 Wisconsin Act 386
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 25, 2016: “Published 4-26-2016”
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.
This bill creates the Wisconsin Veterans Employment Initiative, a program to increase the number of veterans holding permanent state government positions.
The bill creates a Council on Veterans Employment, which consists of the following state officials or their designees: the secretary of administration, the administrator of the Division of Personnel Management in the Department of Administration (DOA), the secretary of veterans affairs, the secretary of workforce development, and the president of the University of Wisconsin System.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill requires the council to advise and assist the governor and state agencies with the recruitment and employment of veterans, including specifically veterans with a service-connected disability rating, so as to increase veteran employment in state government. Under the bill, the Department of Workforce Development provides staff support to the council.
The bill requires the administrator of the Division of Personnel Management in DOA, in consultation with the council, to develop and administer a human resources staff training program to increase the recruitment and employment of veterans in agencies. In addition, state agencies are required or encouraged to meet certain hiring goals.
Agencies with more than 100 full-time employees must prepare and implement a plan to employ qualified veterans with the goal of making the ratio of the number of veterans holding permanent positions in the agency to the total number of individuals holding permanent positions in the agency equal to the ratio of the number of veterans in the state civilian labor force in the preceding fiscal year to the average number of individuals in the state civilian labor force in the preceding fiscal year. These agencies must also prepare and implement a similar plan to employ qualified veterans with a service-connected disability rating.
Agencies with 100 or fewer full-time employees are encouraged to employ qualified veterans with the goal of making the ratio of the number of veterans holding permanent positions in the agency to the total number of individuals holding permanent positions in the agency equal to or greater than the ratio of the number of veterans in the state civilian labor force in the preceding fiscal year to the average number of individuals in the state civilian labor force in the preceding fiscal year.
These agencies are also encouraged to employ qualified veterans with a service-connected disability rating.
Finally, the bill permits the council to establish different employment goals for veterans in state agencies than the ones specified above.
Who's behind it
22 representatives are its . 19 are Republicans and 3 are Democrats.
7 more lawmakers .
See all 29 names Hide the names
Authors (22)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Mark Born · Republican, Assembly
- Jonathan Brostoff · Democrat, Assembly
- Cindi Duchow · Republican, Assembly
- James Edming · Republican, Assembly
- Eric Genrich · Democrat, Assembly
- David Heaton · Republican, Assembly
- Cody Horlacher · Republican, Assembly
- Adam Jarchow · Republican, Assembly
- Joel Kleefisch · Republican, Assembly
- Scott Krug · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Todd Novak · Republican, Assembly
- Warren Petryk · Republican, Assembly
- Mike Rohrkaste · Republican, Assembly
- Joe Sanfelippo · Republican, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
- Thomas Larson · Republican, Assembly
- Travis Tranel · Republican, Assembly
- Nancy VanderMeer · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (7)
- Peter Barca · Democrat, Assembly
- Tim Carpenter · Democrat, Senate
- Frank G. Lasee · Republican, Senate
- Howard Marklein · Republican, Senate
- Luther S. Olsen · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
- Bob Wirch · Democrat, 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 Veterans and Military Affairs vote on an amendment
Passed, 14 to 0 · Feb 2, 2016
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 Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs vote to recommend it
Passed, 14 to 0 · Feb 2, 2016
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 Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 14, 2016
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Apr 25, 2016
The new law was published.
-
Apr 25, 2016
The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 386.
-
Apr 21, 2016
Sent to the governor.
-
Mar 15, 2016
The Senate passed it too.
-
Mar 15, 2016
1 more senator signed on in support.
-
Mar 14, 2016
“Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)
-
Feb 17, 2016
Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.
-
Feb 17, 2016
The Senate received it.
-
Feb 16, 2016
1 more representative signed on in support.
-
Feb 16, 2016
The Assembly passed it.
-
Feb 16, 2016
The Assembly adopted it.
-
Feb 11, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Feb 2, 2016
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Feb 2, 2016
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 14 to 0.
-
Feb 1, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Dec 10, 2015
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Oct 22, 2015
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs.
-
Oct 22, 2015
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Oct 22, 2015 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Allen, Born, Brostoff, Duchow, Edming, Genrich, Heaton, Horlacher, Jarchow, Kleefisch, Krug, T. Larson, Mursau, Novak, Petryk, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo, Sinicki, Steffen, Spiros, Tranel and VanderMeer; cosponsored by Senators Marklein, Lasee, Olsen, Wanggaard and Wirch
- Oct 22, 2015 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs
- Dec 10, 2015 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Jan 15, 2016 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Allen, Edming and Heaton
- Jan 21, 2016 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Feb 1, 2016 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 2, 2016 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0
- Feb 2, 2016 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, Ayes 14, Noes 0
- Feb 2, 2016 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Representative Barca added as a coauthor
- Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 17, 2016 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Feb 17, 2016 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization
- Feb 17, 2016 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 14, 2016 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 14, 2016 · Senate
Placed on calendar 3-15-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 15, 2016 · Senate
Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor
- Mar 15, 2016 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 15, 2016 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 15, 2016 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Mar 15, 2016 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Mar 15, 2016 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 16, 2016 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Mar 24, 2016 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 3-24-2016
- Apr 21, 2016 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-21-2016
- Apr 25, 2016 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-25-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 386
- Apr 25, 2016 · Assembly
Published 4-26-2016
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