WisconsinPending criminal charges could affect job and license decisions
The failed measure proposed rules for when employers and licensing agencies could deny jobs or licenses based on a pending criminal charge.
What it does
An employer could refuse to hire or suspend someone if a pending charge substantially relates to the job. Licensing agencies face a separate limit: they generally could not deny or suspend a license solely because of a pending charge.
Argument forPeople might keep job or license opportunities when their pending charge does not meet the bill's conditions for denying or suspending them.
Argument againstPeople might lose job or license opportunities before their cases are resolved if the charge relates to the work and meets the rule's conditions.
More detail
An employer or licensing agency could refuse to hire or license, or suspend, someone with a pending criminal charge when the charge substantially relates to the job or licensed activity. The rules concern people facing a pending criminal charge who seek or hold a job or license. For licensing agencies, refusing or suspending a license solely because of a pending charge is discrimination unless the charge substantially relates to the licensed activity and falls within a specified category. The excerpt does not show those categories.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- 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)
- Mar 27Report vetoed by the Governor Tony Evers on 3-27-2026Major
- Mar 26Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2026To Governor
- Feb 24Report correctly enrolledMinor
- Feb 23Received from Assembly concurred inMinor
- Feb 19Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded CONCURRENCE. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 54, Noes 41Passed House
- Feb 19Rules suspended
- Feb 19Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 19Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 18Made a special order of business at 11:20 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14
- Feb 18Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Feb 12Received from SenateMinor
- Feb 11Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded PASSAGE. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Read a third time and passed, Ayes 18, Noes 15Passed Senate
- Feb 11Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Feb 11Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 11Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 10Representative Stubbs withdrawn as a cosponsorMajor
- Feb 9Placed on calendar 2-11-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 16Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 16Report passage recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2Minor
- Jan 16Executive action taken
- Jan 7Public hearing held
- 2025
- Sep 29Read first time and referred to Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic DevelopmentMinor
- Sep 29Introduced by Senators Wanggaard and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Duchow, Behnke, Green, Kitchens, Knodl, Murphy, Penterman, Piwowarczyk and StubbsIntroduced
Civil Rights & VotingCriminal Justice