WisconsinBoard-appointed auditor would review Wisconsin employee benefit funds
The failed proposal would give the employee trust funds board an auditor to check how the department safeguards money for public employee benefits.
What it does
The proposal would place an audit office in the employee trust funds department, with an auditor appointed by and reporting directly to the department’s board.
The auditor could review department records about the fund and would conduct audits, risk assessments, research, and management reviews under board direction and policies.
The board could create or abolish all or part of an auditor position only if it is funded from revenue appropriated for that purpose.
The board would set the auditor’s pay within an assigned range. Some current employees could keep rights to return to classified service under stated conditions.
Argument forAudits and compliance reviews could help protect public employee benefit funds by spotting risks in how the department manages them.
Argument againstBecause the board would appoint the auditor and direct the audits, the auditor might have less independence when reviewing the department’s work.
More detail
The proposal would create an audit office attached to the Department of Employee Trust Funds. The board would appoint the auditor, who would report directly to it. The office would serve the Department of Employee Trust Funds.
The office would provide independent checks on whether the department safeguards public employee trust fund assets. The auditor could review related department records and would conduct audits and other reviews under board direction. Reviews could cover department activities, information, and records related to administering the fund. The auditor would monitor the department’s compliance with applicable laws and contracts entered into by the department and the board.
The proposal would let the employee trust funds board create or abolish all or part of a full-time auditor position. This authority would apply to an internal auditor position at the Department of Employee Trust Funds. The position or portion would have to be funded from revenue appropriated under the cited statute.
The proposal would make the auditor an unclassified state employee and place the job in a senior executive salary group. The board would set the auditor’s pay within the assigned range. These provisions concern the department’s internal auditor and employees holding that job when the proposal takes effect. Some current department employees holding the auditor job could keep rights to return to classified service in the circumstances described in the proposal. The current auditor would stay in the job until the board appoints a new auditor under the proposal.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 13Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82Latest
- May 12Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)
- Apr 8Report vetoed by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-8-2026Major
- Apr 2Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026To Governor
- Mar 23Report correctly enrolled on 3-23-2026Minor
- Mar 18Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Mar 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 17Read a third time and concurred inPassed Senate
- Mar 17Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Mar 17Read a second timeMinor
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 11Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 11Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2Minor
- Mar 11Executive action taken
- Mar 3Public hearing held
- Feb 20Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic DevelopmentMinor
- Feb 18Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17Read a third time and passed, Ayes 56, Noes 43Passed Assembly
- Feb 17Rules suspended
- Feb 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 17Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 13Withdrawn from Committee on Rules and referred to calendar of 2-17-2026Minor
- Feb 12Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 3. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 12Report passage recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 7, Noes 3Minor
- Feb 11Executive action taken
- Feb 11Public hearing held
- Jan 14Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- 2025
- Dec 23Read first time and referred to Committee on State AffairsMinor
- Dec 23Introduced by Representatives Franklin, Born, Behnke, Dittrich, Duchow, Gundrum, Knodl, Moses, Murphy, O'Connor and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senator WanggaardIntroduced
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