Skip to content
Bills from the 2021–22 session

Senate Bill 38

Return to in-person work for state employees

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Mar 29, 2021. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 28, 2021

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 21 to 11

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 60 to 35

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Mar 29, 2021.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 17, 2022: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”

Read the governor's veto message · All vetoes this session

Read the bill

Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.

What it would have done

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

This bill requires the governor to submit to the legislature by February 28, 2021, a plan for when all state employees will return to in-person work at the offices of their agencies.

Who's behind it

6 senators are its ⁠. All 6 are Republicans.

5 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 11 names

Authors (6)

Signed on in support (5)

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 7 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Government Operations vote on an amendment

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 11, 2021

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 Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Government Operations vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Feb 11, 2021

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 Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 21 to 11 · Feb 16, 2021

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

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 21, Noes 11”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 20 to 12 · Feb 16, 2021

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

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 2 rejected, Ayes 20, Noes 12”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 20 to 12 · Feb 16, 2021

See how each of the 32 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote

Passed, 58 to 35 · Mar 23, 2021 · 5 didn't vote

See how each of the 98 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (58)

Didn't vote (5)

Official motion: “SHALL THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR STAND”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 60 to 35 · Mar 23, 2021 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 96 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (60)

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 17, 2022

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Mar 29, 2021

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Mar 25, 2021

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 23, 2021

    The Assembly passed it too, 60 to 35.

  5. Mar 23, 2021

    “Point of order that Assembly Amendment 1 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 (3)(f) well taken” (the official wording)

  6. Mar 19, 2021

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  7. Mar 17, 2021

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  8. Feb 16, 2021

    The Assembly received it.

  9. Feb 16, 2021

    The Senate passed it, 20 to 12.

  10. Feb 16, 2021

    The Senate adopted it, 21 to 11.

  11. Feb 11, 2021

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  12. Feb 11, 2021

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection, Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  13. Feb 4, 2021

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Jan 28, 2021

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection.

  15. Jan 28, 2021

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 28, 2021 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Stroebel, Felzkowski, Jacque, Marklein, Bradley and Stafsholt; cosponsored by Representatives Rozar, Dittrich, Brooks and Skowronski

  2. Jan 28, 2021 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection

  3. Feb 2, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Stroebel

  4. Feb 4, 2021 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Feb 10, 2021 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Feb 11, 2021 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  7. Feb 11, 2021 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  8. Feb 11, 2021 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Feb 12, 2021 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-16-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  10. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 offered by Senator Carpenter

  11. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Read a second time

  12. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 adopted, Ayes 21, Noes 11

  13. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 2 rejected, Ayes 20, Noes 12

  14. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  15. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  16. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 20, Noes 12

  17. Feb 16, 2021 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  18. Feb 16, 2021 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  19. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  20. Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 3-23-2021 by Committee on Rules

  21. Mar 19, 2021 · Assembly

    Representative Steffen added as a cosponsor

  22. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  23. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  24. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representatives B. Meyers, Doyle, Shankland, Vining, S. Rodriguez, Andraca, Cabrera, Baldeh, Spreitzer, Conley, Considine, Emerson, Subeck, Hebl, Hintz, Hesselbein, Snodgrass, Ohnstad, Anderson, Drake, Vruwink, Billings, Goyke, Bowen, Stubbs, McGuire, Neubauer, Hong, Pope, Ortiz-Velez, Brostoff, Shelton, Riemer, Moore Omokunde, L. Myers, Haywood and Milroy

  25. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Point of order that Assembly Amendment 1 not germane under Assembly Rule 54 (3)(f) well taken

  26. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair appealed

  27. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Decision of the Chair upheld, Ayes 58, Noes 35

  28. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  29. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  30. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 60, Noes 35, Paired 2

  31. Mar 23, 2021 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  32. Mar 24, 2021 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  33. Mar 25, 2021 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  34. Mar 25, 2021 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 3-25-2021

  35. Mar 29, 2021 · Senate

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-26-2021

  36. May 17, 2022 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 5-17-2022 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  37. May 17, 2022 · Senate

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

Terms on this page

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

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

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary