Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Relating to: filling vacancies on a county board. (FE)
- Introduced, stopped here
- Passes Senate, not reached
- Passes Assembly, not reached
- Governor signs, not reached
- Law, not reached
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, in counties other than Milwaukee County, if a vacancy occurs on the county board, the county chairperson, with the approval of the board, appoints a person to fill the vacancy.
Under this bill, upon a vacancy in the county board, the board chairperson must publish a public notice of the vacancy and the procedure for applying for the vacant position. No earlier than 14 days after publishing the notice, the board chairperson, with the approval of the board, must appoint a person who applied for the position. The bill also specifies that a vacancy that occurs after November 30 in the year preceding expiration of the term of office may not be filled by such an appointment.
What it would cost
Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs
Sponsors
Introduced by: Ratcliff (D) , Wall (D)
7 cosponsors
Clancy (D) , Fitzgerald (D) , Miresse (D) , Rivera-Wagner (D) , Roe (D) , Sheehan (D) , Spaude (D)
Full history
- Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Wall and Ratcliff; cosponsored by Representatives Spaude, Rivera-Wagner, Clancy, Fitzgerald, Miresse, Roe and Sheehan
- Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government
- Mar 16, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1