Assembly Bill 904
Creation of a Wage Council to study and make recommendations concerning increases in the minimum 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.
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Introduced, passed
Feb 11, 2016
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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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 ”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
This bill creates a Wage Council in the Department of Workforce Development 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 minimum wage and making recommendations to DWD for any changes in the minimum wage that may be necessary to ensure that the wages paid to any employee are sufficient to enable the employee to maintain himself or herself under conditions consistent with his or her welfare (living wage). The Wage Council, in conducting that study and making those recommendations, and DWD, in revising the minimum 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 minimum wage might have on the economy of the state, including the effect of a minimum wage increase on job creation, retention, and expansion; on the availability of entry-level jobs; and on regional economic conditions within the state.
If DWD approves the findings and recommendations of the Wage Council, DWD may promulgate rules to revise the minimum wage.
Read the full summary Show less
Finally, under the bill, the biennial minimum 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 minimum wage and report its recommendations as provided in the bill.
Under current law, the minimum wage is established by statute at $7.25 per hour for employees generally, minor employees, and agricultural employees; at $5.90 per hour for employees under 20 years of age who are in their first 90 consecutive days of employment with their employer (opportunity employees); at $2.33 per hour for tipped employees; and at $2.13 per hour for tipped opportunity employees.
Currently, DWD is authorized to establish a minimum wage by rule only for workers with a disability, student learners, and students employed at an independent college or university for less than 20 hours per week.
Who's behind it
15 lawmakers are its . All 15 are Democrats.
5 more lawmakers .
See all 20 names Hide the names
Authors (15)
- Mandela Barnes · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- David Bowen · Democrat, Assembly
- Jonathan Brostoff · Democrat, Assembly
- Chris Taylor · Democrat, Assembly
- Evan Goyke · Democrat, Assembly
- LaTonya Johnson · Democrat, Senate
- Robb Kahl · Democrat, Assembly
- Tod Ohnstad · Democrat, Assembly
- Melissa Sargent · Democrat, Assembly
- Katrina Shankland · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- Mark Spreitzer · Democrat, Senate
- Lisa Subeck · Democrat, Assembly
- Dana Wachs · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (5)
- Janet Bewley · Democrat, Senate
- Chris Larson · Democrat, Senate
- Nikiya Harris Dodd · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Kathleen Vinehout · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Apr 13, 2016
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Mar 2, 2016
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 11, 2016
Sent to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations.
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Feb 11, 2016
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Sinicki, Bowen, Barnes, Spreitzer, Johnson, Ohnstad, Brostoff, Sargent, Goyke, Berceau, Subeck, Wachs, Shankland, Kahl and C. Taylor; cosponsored by Senators Harris Dodd, L. Taylor, Bewley, Vinehout and C. Larson
- Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations
- Mar 2, 2016 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- 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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
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