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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Senate Bill 419

A veterans employment and entrepreneurship grant program, veteran employment grants, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 25, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Dec 3, 2015

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 32 to 0

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 98 to 0

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 385

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 25, 2016: “Published 4-26-2016”

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.

This bill eliminates a veteran employment grant program and creates a veterans employment and entrepreneurship grant program. Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) may grant certain amounts to employers for each veteran or disabled veteran the employers hire, subject to specific limitations.

This bill eliminates that grant program. Instead, the bill creates a program under which DVA may, beginning in the 2016-17 fiscal year, make up to $500,000 in grants each year to veterans, employers, and nonprofit organizations to improve employment outcomes for veterans in this state. Specifically, the bill authorizes DVA to award grants to assist veteran entrepreneurs, to give employers in this state incentives to hire veterans, especially disabled veterans, to help fund employment training for veterans, especially disabled veterans, and for other programs or purposes as determined by DVA.

Read the full summary

The bill requires DVA to promulgate rules establishing the goals grant recipients must meet before receiving any grant moneys. The bill also requires DVA to submit an annual report concerning the grant program to the governor and the legislature.

Who's behind it

11 senators are its ⁠. 7 are Republicans and 4 are Democrats.

18 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 29 names

Authors (11)

Signed on in support (18)

What it would cost

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

How lawmakers voted

There were 5 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Jan 25, 2016

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

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 8, 2016

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

Official motion: “Referred to joint committee on Finance by Committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 8, 2016

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

Official motion: “Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 32 to 0 · Feb 9, 2016 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 98 to 0 · Feb 16, 2016 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 99 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (98)

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 98, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 25, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 25, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 385.

  3. Apr 21, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 16, 2016

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  5. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly passed it too, 98 to 0.

  6. Feb 11, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  7. Feb 9, 2016

    The Assembly received it.

  8. Feb 9, 2016

    The Senate passed it, 32 to 0.

  9. Feb 9, 2016

    4 more senators signed on in support.

  10. Feb 8, 2016

    “Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  11. Feb 8, 2016

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  12. Jan 25, 2016

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

  13. Jan 14, 2016

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Dec 11, 2015

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Dec 3, 2015

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs.

  16. Dec 3, 2015

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Dec 3, 2015 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Petrowski, Carpenter, Darling, Harsdorf, LeMahieu, Marklein, Moulton, Olsen, Ringhand, L. Taylor and Vinehout; cosponsored by Representatives VanderMeer, Allen, Ballweg, Bernier, Brostoff, Edming, T. Larson, Macco, Milroy, Murphy, A. Ott, Petryk and Skowronski

  2. Dec 3, 2015 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs

  3. Dec 11, 2015 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jan 14, 2016 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Jan 21, 2016 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Jan 25, 2016 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  7. Jan 25, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  8. Feb 8, 2016 · Senate

    Referred to joint committee on Finance by Committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 3, Noes 2

  9. Feb 8, 2016 · Senate

    Withdrawn from joint committee on Finance and made Available for Scheduling by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 41 (1)(e), Ayes 3, Noes 2

  10. Feb 8, 2016 · Senate

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

  11. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senator Hansen added as a coauthor

  12. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senator Lassa added as a coauthor

  13. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senator Nass added as a coauthor

  14. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Senator Wanggaard added as a coauthor

  15. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  16. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  17. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  18. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 32, Noes 0

  19. Feb 9, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  20. Feb 9, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  21. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  22. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

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

  23. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  24. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  25. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  26. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  27. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 98, Noes 0

  28. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Representative Meyers added as a cosponsor

  29. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  30. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  31. Feb 25, 2016 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  32. Apr 21, 2016 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 4-21-2016

  33. Apr 25, 2016 · Senate

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-25-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 385

  34. Apr 25, 2016 · Senate

    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

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