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AB281 • 2025

the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority

the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representatives Piwowarczyk, Brill, Brooks, Dittrich, Goeben, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Steffen and Wichgers, cosponsored by Senators Wimberger, Jagler, Nass and Tomczyk
Last action
2026-05-13
Official status
A - Veto Sustained
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority

the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority Status: A - Veto Sustained

What This Bill Does

  • the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority Status: A - Veto Sustained

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-13 Asm.

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

  2. 2026-05-12 Asm.

    Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  3. 2026-04-03 Asm.

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-3-2026

  4. 2026-04-02 Asm.

    Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026

  5. 2026-03-25 Asm.

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-25-2026

  6. 2026-03-18 Asm.

    Received from Senate concurred in

  7. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Read a second time

  8. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Ordered to a third reading

  9. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  10. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Read a third time and concurred in

  11. 2026-03-17 Sen.

    Ordered immediately messaged

  12. 2026-03-16 Sen.

    Withdrawn from committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development and rereferred to committee on Senate Organization pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)

  13. 2026-03-16 Sen.

    Available for scheduling

  14. 2026-03-16 Sen.

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization , pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m) , Ayes 3, Noes 2

  15. 2026-03-16 Sen.

    Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  16. 2026-01-14 Sen.

    Received from Assembly

  17. 2026-01-14 Sen.

    Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development

  18. 2026-01-13 Asm.

    Read a second time

  19. 2026-01-13 Asm.

    Ordered to a third reading

  20. 2026-01-13 Asm.

    Rules suspended

  21. 2026-01-13 Asm.

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 54, Noes 45

  22. 2026-01-13 Asm.

    Ordered immediately messaged

  23. 2026-01-08 Asm.

    Placed on calendar 1-13-2026 by Committee on Rules

  24. 2025-11-03 Asm.

    Fiscal estimate received

  25. 2025-10-22 Asm.

    Fiscal estimate received

  26. 2025-10-14 Asm.

    Fiscal estimate received

  27. 2025-10-10 Asm.

    Fiscal estimate received

  28. 2025-10-09 Asm.

    Fiscal estimate received

  29. 2025-10-09 Asm.

    Fiscal estimate received

  30. 2025-10-08 Asm.

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Commerce , Ayes 4, Noes 2

  31. 2025-10-08 Asm.

    Referred to committee on Rules

  32. 2025-10-06 Asm.

    Fiscal estimate received

  33. 2025-10-02 Asm.

    Public hearing held

  34. 2025-10-02 Asm.

    Executive action taken

  35. 2025-05-30 Asm.

    Introduced by Representatives Piwowarczyk , Brill , Brooks , Dittrich , Goeben , Knodl , Kreibich , Maxey , Melotik , Murphy , Mursau , Steffen and Wichgers ; cosponsored by Senators Wimberger , Jagler , Nass and Tomczyk

  36. 2025-05-30 Asm.

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Commerce

Official Summary Text

the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority
Status: A - Veto Sustained

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: AB281: Text as Enrolled

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2025
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Related Documents
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Vetoed in Full
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AB281: Text as Enrolled

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Date of enactment:
2025 Assembly Bill 281

Date of publication*:
2025 WISCONSIN ACT
An Act

to amend
16.75 (1) (a) 1. and 16.855 (1m);
to create
16.75 (10r), 16.856, 66.05025 and 230.144 of the statutes;
relating to:
the employment eligibility verification program and granting rule-making authority.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB281,1
Section
1
.
16.75 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
16.75
(1)
(a) 1. All orders awarded or contracts made by the department for all materials, supplies, equipment, and contractual services to be provided to any agency, except as otherwise provided in par. (c) and subs. (2), (2g), (2m), (3m), (3t), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10e), (10m),
and
(10p)
, and (10r)
and ss. 16.705 (1r), 16.73 (4) (a), 16.751, 16.754, 50.05 (7) (f), 153.05 (2m) (a), 165.987, and 287.15 (7), shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, taking into consideration life cycle cost estimates under sub. (1m), when appropriate, the location of the agency, the quantities of the articles to be supplied, their conformity with the specifications, and the purposes for which they are required and the date of delivery.
AB281,2
Section
2
.
16.75 (10r) of the statutes is created to read:
16.75
(10r)
(a) In this subsection “federal employment eligibility verification program” means the system operated by the federal department of homeland security and the federal social security administration that allows an employer to enroll in the system and verify that its employees are eligible to work in the United States.
(b) The department, a designated purchasing agent under s. 16.71, an agency making purchases under s. 16.74, and any authority may not enter into a contract or order for the purchase of materials, supplies, equipment, or contractual services with any of the following:
1. Except as provided in par. (e), an employer that is not enrolled in the federal employment eligibility verification program.
2. An employer that knowingly employs an individual who has been identified by the federal employment eligibility verification program as ineligible to work in the United States.
(c) If the department, a designated purchasing agent under s. 16.71, an agency making purchases under s. 16.74, or any authority discovers that it has entered into a contract or order that violates par. (b), it shall terminate the contract or order without liability for the uncompleted portion or any materials or services purchased or paid for by the employer for use in completing the contract or order.
(d) All contracts entered into under this section must contain written notification of the requirements in this subsection and a place for the employer that is awarded the contract to sign indicating that the employer is in compliance with the requirements.
(e) Paragraph (b) 1. does not apply if the federal employment eligibility verification program is discontinued.
AB281,3
Section
3
.
16.855 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
16.855
(1m)
The department shall let by contract to the lowest qualified responsible bidder all construction work when the estimated construction cost of the project exceeds $50,000, except for construction work authorized under s. 16.858 and except as provided in sub. (1r) or (10m) or s. 13.48 (19)
or 16.856
. Beginning in fiscal year 2023-24, this amount is $100,000. If factors other than dollar amounts are required to be evaluated for a project, the department shall specify a formula that will convert the other factors into a dollar value for comparison.
AB281,4
Section
4
.
16.856 of the statutes is created to read:
16.856

Employment eligibility verification.

(1)
In this section “federal employment eligibility verification program” has the meaning given in s. 16.75 (10r) (a).
(2)
The department may not let any construction work by contract under s. 16.855 (1m) to any of the following:
(a) Except as provided in sub. (4), an employer that is not enrolled in the federal employment eligibility verification program.
(b) An employer that knowingly employs an individual who has been identified by the federal employment eligibility verification program as ineligible to work in the United States.
(3)
All contracts let under s. 16.855 (1m) must contain written notification of the requirements in this section and a place for the employer that is awarded the contract to sign indicating that the employer is in compliance with the requirements.
(4)
Subsection (2) (a) does not apply if the federal employment eligibility verification program is discontinued.
AB281,5
Section
5
.
66.05025 of the statutes is created to read:
66.05025

Employment eligibility verification.

(1)

Definitions.
In this section:
(a) “Federal employment eligibility verification program” has the meaning given in s. 16.75 (10r) (a).
(b) “Local governmental unit” has the meaning given in s. 66.0131 (1) (a).
(2)

Verification requirements.
A local governmental unit that intends to hire an employee on or after the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], shall verify the individual’s identity under the federal employment eligibility verification program. A local governmental unit may not offer employment to any individual who is identified under the federal employment eligibility verification program as ineligible to work in the United States.
(3)
This section does not apply if the federal employment eligibility verification program is discontinued.
AB281,6
Section
6
.
230.144 of the statutes is created to read:
230.144

Employment

eligibility verification program. (1)
In this section “federal employment eligibility verification program” has the meaning given in s. 16.75 (10r) (a).
(2)
Beginning on the effective date of this subsection .... [LRB inserts date], an agency shall verify under the federal employment eligibility verification program the identity of each individual that it intends to appoint to a position by enrolling in the federal employment eligibility verification program. An agency may not offer employment to any individual who is identified under the federal employment eligibility verification program as ineligible to work in the United States.
(3)
This section does not apply if the federal employment eligibility verification program is discontinued.
AB281,7
Section
7
. Initial applicability.
(
1
)
State procurement and construction contracts.
The treatment of ss. 16.75 (10r) and 16.856 first applies to a contract or order that is entered into on the effective date of this subsection.

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