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Wisconsin Legislature: SB506: Bill Text

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SB506: Bill Text

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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-4596/1
MIM:klm
2025 SENATE BILL 506
October 2, 2025 - Introduced by Senators
Larson
,
Carpenter
,
Dassler-Alfheim
,
Habush Sinykin
,
Keyeski
,
Ratcliff
,
Roys
,
Smith
and
Wirch
, cosponsored by Representatives
Udell
,
Anderson
,
Andraca
,
Arney
,
Bare
,
Brown
,
DeSmidt
,
Emerson
,
Goodwin
,
Hong
,
Madison
,
McCarville
,
Miresse
,
Phelps
,
Roe
,
Sinicki
,
Snodgrass
,
Stroud
,
Stubbs
,
Subeck
and
Tenorio
. Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development.
SB506,2,5
1
An Act

to repeal
20.865 (1) (dm), 20.928 (1f), 230.01 (2) (bm), 230.01 (2) (bp),
2
230.04 (13m), 230.04 (19), 230.05 (10), 230.06 (1) (m), 230.06 (4), 230.13 (3) (c),
3
230.15 (6), 230.15 (7), 230.16 (1) (ap), 230.25 (2) (am), 230.31 (3), 230.34 (1) (a)
4
1. to 9. and 230.445;
to renumber and amend
63.08 (1) (fm) and 230.34 (1)
5
(a) (intro.);
to amend
62.13 (4) (d), 63.08 (1) (f) 1., 63.08 (1) (f) 2., 63.08 (1) (f)
6
3., 63.37, 63.39 (2m), 66.0509 (1), 230.04 (14), 230.046 (2), 230.05 (7), 230.08
7
(2) (c), 230.12 (1) (h), 230.13 (1) (a), 230.13 (3) (b), 230.15 (1), 230.15 (1m) (c) 1.,
8
230.16 (title), 230.16 (1) (a), 230.16 (2), 230.16 (3), 230.16 (4), 230.16 (5),
9
230.16 (6), 230.16 (7m) (b) 4., 230.16 (10), 230.16 (11), 230.17 (1), 230.17 (2),
10
230.18, 230.21 (1), 230.21 (2), 230.21 (3), 230.213, 230.24 (1), 230.25 (1),
11
230.25 (2) (a), 230.25 (2) (b), 230.25 (3) (a), 230.26 (2), 230.26 (4), 230.28 (1) (a),
12
230.28 (1) (am), 230.28 (1) (c), 230.31 (1) (intro.), 230.32 (4), 230.34 (1) (am),
13
230.34 (2) (intro.), 230.35 (3) (d), 230.37 (1), 230.43 (1) (title), 230.43 (1) (am),
1
230.43 (1) (b), 230.43 (1) (c), 230.43 (1) (d), 230.43 (1) (e), 230.43 (5), 230.44 (1)
2
(c), 230.44 (1) (e), 321.65 (3) (g) and 323.2915 (1) and (2);
to repeal and
3
recreate
230.19, 230.24 (2), 230.25 (1g), 230.25 (1m), 230.34 (2) (a) and 230.34
4
(2) (b);
to create
230.16 (7m) (c), 230.16 (9), 230.28 (6), 230.31 (2) and 230.40
5
(3) of the statutes;
relating to:
the state civil service system.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes numerous changes to the state civil service system, including all of the following:
The hiring process
1. The bill replaces competitive procedures with competitive examinations. Under the bill, appointments to and promotions in the classified service must be made according to merit and fitness, based on competitive examinations.
2. The bill provides a preference system for veterans under which veterans and qualifying spouses of veterans receive preference points, which are applied during the process of creating a certification list for a position. Under current law, if a veteran or qualifying spouse of a veteran is included on a certification list, the appointing authority must offer an interview to the veteran or spouse of a veteran.
3. Under current law, before making an offer of employment to an individual who currently holds a position in the civil service, an appointing authority must review the individual’s personnel file. The bill repeals that requirement.
4. The bill changes the general deadline for making appointments from 30 days after certification to 60 days after certification. The bill also requires the director of the Bureau of Merit Recruitment and Selection to use procedures designed to certify applicants for a vacant permanent position within 45 days of receiving a request from an appointing authority, rather than the 30-day deadline under current law.
Probation, reinstatement, restoration, and layoffs
1. The bill changes the standard probationary period for all original and promotional appointments to permanent and seasonal positions in the classified service from one year to six months. The bill also changes the probationary period for employees in supervisory or management positions from one year to one year with a potential waiver after six months.
2. The bill allows permanent classified service employees who leave the classified service without any delinquency or misconduct to have reinstatement privileges for a five-year period from the date the employee leaves the classified service. Under current law, there are no reinstatement privileges for permanent classified service employees who leave the classified service without any delinquency or misconduct for reasons other than layoff. The bill also provides reinstatement privileges for an employee who leaves the classified service to fill an elective position, which is not allowed under current law.
3. The bill provides restoration rights to a permanent employee in the classified service who is on layoff status for the three-year period following the layoff.
4. The bill allows appointing authorities to determine the order of layoff by seniority, performance, any combination of seniority and performance, or other factors. Under current law, appointing authorities must determine layoff status primarily based on job performance.
Just cause and discipline
1. The bill allows an employer to remove, suspend without pay, discharge, reduce the base pay of, or demote (take an adverse employment action against) a permanent classified employee and certain assistant district attorneys and assistant state public defenders only for just cause. The bill eliminates the provision that an employer has just cause to take an adverse employment action against an employee for work performance or personal conduct that an appointing authority determines to be inadequate, unsuitable, or inferior, but only after the appointing authority imposes progressive discipline that complies with standards established by the administrator of the Division of Personnel Management. The bill also eliminates the provision that an employer has just cause to take an adverse employment action against an employee without imposing progressive discipline for specific conduct.
2. The bill changes the threshold for considering an employee’s position abandoned and disciplining the employee for failing to report for work as scheduled without contacting a supervisor from three working days during a calendar year to five consecutive working days.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB506,1
1
Section
1
.
20.865 (1) (dm) of the statutes is repealed.
SB506,2
2
Section
2
.
20.928 (1f) of the statutes is repealed.
SB506,3
3
Section
3
.
62.13 (4) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,4,11
4
62.13
(4)
(d) The examination shall be free for all U.S. citizens over 18 and
1
under 55 years of age, with proper limitations as to health and, subject to ss.
2
111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, arrest and conviction record. The examination,
3
including minimum training and experience requirements, shall be job-related in
4
compliance with appropriate validation standards and shall be subject to the
5
approval of the board and may include tests of manual skill and physical strength.
6
All relevant experience, whether paid or unpaid, shall satisfy experience
7
requirements. The board shall control examinations and may designate and change
8
examiners, who may or may not be otherwise in the official service of the city, and
9
whose compensation shall be fixed by the board and paid by the city. Veterans and
10
their spouses shall be given preference points in accordance with s.
63.08 (1) (fm)

11
230.16 (7)
.
SB506,4
12
Section
4
.
63.08 (1) (f) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,4,16
13
63.08
(1)
(f) 1. The commission may not impose any restriction as to age on
14
any veteran who is applying or eligible for a position under this section. The
15
commission shall give preference points to veterans and their spouses under
par.
16
(fm)

s. 230.16 (7)
, except as provided under subd. 2.
SB506,5
17
Section
5
.
63.08 (1) (f) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,4,20
18
63.08
(1)
(f) 2. Notwithstanding
par. (fm)

s. 230.16 (7)
, persons shall be
19
certified from the eligible list under s. 63.05 (1) (b) without adding any preference
20
points to any person’s grade.
SB506,6
21
Section
6
.
63.08 (1) (f) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,5,4
22
63.08
(1)
(f) 3. After the certification under subd. 2., any veteran or veteran’s
23
spouse whose grade, plus the points to which the veteran or spouse is entitled under
1
par. (fm)

s. 230.16 (7)
, is equal to or higher than the lowest grade on the list made
2
under subd. 2. shall be added to the certification list under s. 63.05 (1) (b). The
3
number of persons added to a certification list under this subdivision may not
4
exceed the number of persons initially certified under subd. 2.
SB506,7
5
Section
7
.
63.08 (1) (fm) of the statutes is renumbered 230.16 (7), and 230.16
6
(7) (a) (intro.) and (b), as renumbered, are amended to read:
SB506,5,11
7
230.16
(7)
(a) (intro.) A preference shall be given to those veterans and to
8
those spouses of veterans specified in
subd
.
subds.
1.
a. to f.

to 6.
who gain
9
eligibility on any competitive employment register and who do not currently hold a
10
permanent appointment or have mandatory restoration rights to a permanent
11
appointment to any position. A preference means the following:
SB506,5,15
12
(b) An applicant who is certified for a position after receiving a preference
13
under
subd. 1. d., e., or f.

par. (a) 4., 5., or 6.
and who is appointed to that position
14
may not obtain a preference under
subd. 1. d., e., or f.

par. (a) 4., 5., or 6.
for any
15
other civil service position for which the applicant subsequently applies.
SB506,8
16
Section
8
.
63.37 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,6,3
17
63.37

Board to keep a register of eligibles.
From the returns or reports of
18
the examiners, or from the examinations made by the board, the board shall
19
prepare and keep a register for each grade or class of position in the service of such
20
city, of the persons whose general average standing upon examinations for such
21
grade or class is not less than the minimum fixed by the rules of such board, and
22
who are otherwise eligible, and such persons shall take rank upon the register as
23
candidates in the order of their relative excellence as determined by examination
1
without reference to priority of time of examination. The board shall impose no
2
restrictions as to age in case of veterans, and veterans and their spouses shall be
3
given preference points in accordance with s.
63.08 (1) (fm)

230.16 (7)
.
SB506,9
4
Section
9
.
63.39 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,6,10
5
63.39
(2m)
Notwithstanding s.
63.08 (1) (fm)

230.16 (7)
, the board shall
6
certify persons from the list of eligibles without adding preference points to their
7
grades. After the certification under sub. (1) or (2), the board shall add to the
8
certification list any veteran or veteran’s spouse whose grade, plus the points to
9
which the veteran or spouse is entitled under s.
63.08 (1) (fm)

230.16 (7)
, is equal to
10
or higher than the lowest grade on the list of eligibles.
SB506,10
11
Section
10
.
66.0509 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,7,2
12
66.0509
(1)
Any city or village may proceed under s. 61.34 (1), 62.11 (5) or
13
66.0101 to establish a civil service system of selection, tenure and status, and the
14
system may be made applicable to all municipal personnel except the chief
15
executive and members of the governing body, members of boards and commissions
16
including election officials, employees subject to s. 62.13, members of the judiciary
17
and supervisors. Any town may establish a civil service system under this
18
subsection. For veterans there shall be no restrictions as to age, and veterans and
19
their spouses shall be given preference points in accordance with s.
63.08 (1) (fm)

20
230.16 (7)
. The system may also include uniform provisions in respect to
21
attendance, leave regulations, compensation and payrolls for all personnel included
22
in the system. The governing body of any city, village or town establishing a civil
1
service system under this section may exempt from the system the librarians and
2
assistants subject to s. 43.09 (1).
SB506,11
3
Section
11
.
230.01 (2) (bm) of the statutes is repealed.
SB506,12
4
Section
12
.
230.01 (2) (bp) of the statutes is repealed.
SB506,13
5
Section
13
.
230.04 (13m) of the statutes is repealed.
SB506,14
6
Section
14
.
230.04 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,7,9
7
230.04
(14)

Except as provided in s. 230.445, the

The
administrator shall
8
establish, by rule, the scope and minimum requirements of a state employee
9
grievance procedure relating to conditions of employment.
SB506,15
10
Section
15
.
230.04 (19) of the statutes is repealed.
SB506,16
11
Section
16
.
230.046 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB506,7,21
12
230.046
(2)

Supervisory training.
After initial appointment to a
13
supervisory position, each appointing authority shall ensure that each classified
14
service supervisor successfully completes a supervisory development program.
A
15
waiver of any part of the probationary period under s. 230.28 (1) (c) may not be
16
granted before completion of the development program.
The program shall include
17
such subjects as state personnel policies, grievance handling, discipline,
18
performance evaluation, understanding the concerns of state employees with
19
children, the supervisor’s role in management and the concept of the total quality
20
leadership process, including quality improvement through participatory
21
management.
SB506,17
22
Section
17
.
230.05 (7) of the statutes, as affected by
2023 Wisconsin Act 206
,
23
is amended to read:
SB506,8,4
1
230.05
(7)
Except as provided in s. 230.212 (1), the director shall use
2
techniques and procedures designed to certify eligible applicants to any vacant
3
permanent position within
30

45
days after the filing of an appropriate request by
4
an appointing authority.
SB506,18
5
Section
18
.
230.05 (10) of the statutes is repealed.
SB506,19
6
Section
19
.
230.06 (1) (m) of the statutes is repealed.

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