Assembly Bill 778
Eligibility for the Transform Milwaukee Jobs program and the Transitional Jobs program. (FE)
Topics: Children and Families, Department of, Employment, Milwaukee County, Public assistance
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 2, 2026. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Dec 17, 2025
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 10, 2026
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Mar 17, 2026
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2025 Wisconsin Act 176
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 2, 2026: “Published 4-3-2026”
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 767. That version died when the session ended.
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
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, the Department of Children and Families administers temporary wage subsidy programs for individuals who meet all of the following qualifications: 1) are at least 18 years old and, if over 25 years old, are the parent or primary relative caregiver of a child under the age of 18; 2) have a household income below 150 percent of the poverty line; 3) have been unemployed for at least four weeks; 4) are ineligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits; 5) are not participating in a Wisconsin Works employment position; and 6) satisfy applicable substance abuse screening, testing, and treatment requirements.
This bill modifies the qualifications for participating in the programs by removing the requirement that the individual has been unemployed for at least four weeks and by specifying that anyone who has not filed for unemployment benefits or who has filed but is ineligible for unemployment benefits may participate.
Who's behind it
16 representatives are its . 13 are Republicans and 3 are Democrats.
4 more lawmakers .
See all 20 names Hide the names
Authors (16)
- Scott Allen · Republican, Assembly
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Russell Goodwin · Democrat, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dean Kaufert · Republican, Assembly
- Paul Melotik · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Sylvia Ortiz-Velez · Democrat, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Priscilla Prado · Democrat, Assembly
- Jessie Rodriguez · Republican, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (4)
- Tim Carpenter · Democrat, Senate
- Dora Drake · Democrat, Senate
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There were 3 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Workforce Development vote to recommend it
Passed, 9 to 0 · Jan 15, 2026
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 Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Government Operations vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 3, 2026
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate vote
Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 16, 2026
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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Apr 2, 2026
The new law was published.
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Apr 2, 2026
The governor signed it. It became 2025 Wisconsin Act 176.
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Apr 1, 2026
Sent to the governor.
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Mar 17, 2026
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Mar 17, 2026
The Senate passed it too.
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Mar 16, 2026
“Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)
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Mar 3, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
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Feb 11, 2026
Sent to the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development.
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Feb 10, 2026
The Senate received it.
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Feb 10, 2026
The Assembly passed it.
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Jan 23, 2026
1 more senator signed on in support.
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Jan 15, 2026
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Jan 15, 2026
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.
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Jan 8, 2026
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Jan 6, 2026
The committee held a public hearing.
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Dec 22, 2025
1 more representative signed on in support.
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Dec 17, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment.
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Dec 17, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Dec 17, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Rodriguez, Donovan, Ortiz-Velez, Allen, Behnke, Dittrich, Goodwin, Gundrum, Kaufert, Melotik, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Prado and Steffen; cosponsored by Senator Wanggaard
- Dec 17, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment
- Dec 22, 2025 · Assembly
Representative Knodl added as a coauthor
- Jan 6, 2026 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Jan 8, 2026 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Jan 14, 2026 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly
Report passage recommended by Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- Jan 15, 2026 · Assembly
Referred to committee on Rules
- Jan 23, 2026 · Assembly
Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor
- Feb 5, 2026 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-10-2026 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 10, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 10, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 10, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 10, 2026 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Feb 10, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 10, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development
- Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 16, 2026 · Senate
Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 16, 2026 · Senate
Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Senator Drake added as a cosponsor
- Mar 17, 2026 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 18, 2026 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 3-23-2026
- Apr 1, 2026 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-1-2026
- Apr 2, 2026 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-2-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 176
- Apr 2, 2026 · Assembly
Published 4-3-2026
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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote