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Bills from the 2019–20 session

Senate Bill 366

Actions in circuit court alleging discrimination in employment, unfair honesty testing, or unfair genetic testing. (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.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Aug 22, 2019

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. No public hearing was held.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 1, 2020: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.

Read the bill

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What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill allows the Department of Workforce Development or a person who is alleged or was found to have been discriminated against or subjected to unfair honesty or genetic testing to bring an action in circuit court in addition to or in lieu of filing an administrative complaint. The bill, however, does not allow an action for damages to be brought against certain local governmental units or against any employer employing fewer than 15 individuals.

Under the bill, if the circuit court finds that a defendant has committed an act of discrimination or unfair honesty or genetic testing, the circuit court may award back pay and any other relief that could have been awarded in an administrative proceeding. In addition,the circuit court must order the defendant to pay to the person discriminated against compensatory and punitive damages that the circuit court finds appropriate, except that the total amount of damage awarded for future economic losses and for pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and other noneconomic losses and punitive damages is subject to the following limitations:

Read the full summary

1. If the defendant employs 100 or fewer employees, no more than $50,000.

2. If the defendant employs more than 100 but fewer than 201 employees, no more than $100,000.

3. If the defendant employs more than 200 but fewer than 501 employees, no more than $200,000.

4. If the defendant employs more than 500 employees, no more than $300,000.

The bill requires DWD to annually revise these amounts based upon the change in the consumer price index in the previous year, if any positive change has occurred.

Under the current fair employment law, a person alleging discrimination in employment or unfair honesty or genetic testing may file a complaint with DWD seeking action that will effectuate the purpose of the fair employment law, including reinstating the employee, providing back pay, and paying costs and attorney fees.

The fair employment law, however, does not authorize DWD to award compensatory or punitive damages to a complainant.

Who's behind it

14 senators are its ⁠. All 14 are Democrats.

36 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 50 names

Authors (14)

Signed on in support (36)

What it would cost

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

What happened

  1. Apr 1, 2020

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Sep 10, 2019

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  3. Aug 22, 2019

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform.

  4. Aug 22, 2019

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Aug 22, 2019 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Hansen, Bewley, Carpenter, Erpenbach, Johnson, Larson, Miller, Ringhand, Risser, Schachtner, Shilling, Smith, L. Taylor and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives Sinicki, Zamarripa, Vruwink, Vining, C. Taylor, Subeck, Stuck, Stubbs, Spreitzer, Shankland, Sargent, Riemer, Pope, Ohnstad, Neubauer, L. Myers, Milroy, B. Meyers, McGuire, Kolste, Hintz, Hesselbein, Hebl, Haywood, Gruszynski, Goyke, Fields, Emerson, Doyle, Crowley, Considine, Cabrera, Brostoff, Bowen, Billings and Anderson

  2. Aug 22, 2019 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform

  3. Sep 10, 2019 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Apr 1, 2020 · Senate

    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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

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.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

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