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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 134

Coverage for new participating employers under the Wisconsin Retirement System. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 2, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Apr 23, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Feb 9, 2016

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 174

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 2, 2016: “Published 3-1-2016”

Read the bill

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What it does

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

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

3 senators are its ⁠. 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

8 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 11 names

Authors (3)

Signed on in support (8)

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.

Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 4, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government vote on an amendment

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 4, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 4, 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 Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 2, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 2, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 174.

  3. Feb 25, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Feb 11, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Feb 9, 2016

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Feb 9, 2016

    The Senate passed it.

  8. Feb 9, 2016

    The Senate adopted it.

  9. Feb 4, 2016

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  10. Feb 4, 2016

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  11. Feb 4, 2016

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  12. Jan 14, 2016

    The committee held a public hearing.

  13. Nov 23, 2015

    “Report of Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems received” (the official wording)

  14. Nov 19, 2015

    “Report of Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems requested” (the official wording)

  15. Nov 17, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Elections and Local Government.

  16. Apr 23, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems.

  17. Apr 23, 2015

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Apr 23, 2015 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Petrowski, Olsen and Miller; cosponsored by Representatives Thiesfeldt, Edming, Ripp, Mursau, Ballweg, Kulp, Bernier and Hebl

  2. Apr 23, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems

  3. May 4, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Petrowski

  4. Aug 31, 2015 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 offered by Senator Petrowski

  5. Nov 17, 2015 · Senate

    Withdrawn from joint survey committee on Retirement Systems and rereferred to committee on Elections and Local Government pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)

  6. Nov 19, 2015 · Senate

    Report of Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems requested

  7. Nov 23, 2015 · Senate

    Report of Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems received

  8. Jan 14, 2016 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  9. Jan 26, 2016 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  10. Feb 4, 2016 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  11. Feb 4, 2016 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 2 recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  12. Feb 4, 2016 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Elections and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  13. Feb 4, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  14. Feb 8, 2016 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-9-2016 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  15. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  16. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted

  17. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 adopted

  18. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  19. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed

  21. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  22. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  23. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  24. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 by Committee on Rules

  25. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  26. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  27. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  28. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  29. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  30. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  31. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  32. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  33. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 2-25-2016

  34. Mar 2, 2016 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 2-29-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 174

  35. Mar 2, 2016 · Senate

    Published 3-1-2016

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

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