LRB-2068/1
MED&GMM:eev&kjf
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
June 10, 2015 - Introduced by Representatives Sargent, Subeck, Hesselbein,
Johnson, Bowen, Berceau, Goyke, Stuck, Brostoff, Ohnstad, Pope, Barnes,
Kessler, Young, Sinicki, C. Taylor and Riemer, cosponsored by Senators
Wirch, C. Larson, Miller, Risser, Harris Dodd and Ringhand. Referred to
Committee on Small Business Development.
AB264,1,12 1An Act to repeal 104.001, 104.01 (5), 104.04 (title), 104.05, 104.06 and 104.11;
2to renumber 104.01 (1); to renumber and amend 104.04 and 104.045; to
3consolidate, renumber and amend
104.02 and 104.03; to amend 49.141 (1)
4(g), 103.06 (1) (b) 5., 103.06 (1) (c) 5., 103.06 (3) (a) 4., 103.06 (4) (a) 1., 103.67
5(2) (fm) 3., 103.70 (2) (b) 3., 104.01 (intro.), 104.01 (8), 104.07 (1) and (2), 104.08
6(2m), 104.10, 104.12, 234.94 (5), 234.94 (8), 800.09 (1j), 800.095 (1) (d) and
7895.035 (2m) (c); and to create 104.01 (1d), 104.01 (1g), 104.01 (5m), 104.035
8and 104.045 (1) and (2) of the statutes; relating to: a state minimum wage,
9permitting the enactment of local living wage ordinances, extending the time
10limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency
11rule procedures, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and
12requiring the exercise of rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, the state minimum wage law requires that employers pay a living
wage to their employees. Under that law, the Department of Workforce Development

(DWD) has provided, by rule, minimum wages for various types of employees,
including employees, generally; minor employees; opportunity employees, who are
defined as employees under 20 years of age in their first 90 days of employment with
a particular employer; tipped employees; agricultural employees; camp counselors;
golf caddies; students employed at independent colleges and universities for less
than 20 hours per week; student learners employed in bona fide school training
programs; and individuals who are unable to earn the standard minimum wage
because of a disability. DWD has exempted, by rule, from the minimum wage law
employees who perform less than 15 hours per week of casual employment, such as
baby-sitting or lawn mowing, in and around an employer's home; employees who
provide companionship services to elderly or infirm individuals; and elementary and
secondary school students performing work-like activities in their schools. DWD
has also promulgated rules providing allowances against the minimum wage for
employers that provide meals or lodging for their employees.
This bill repeals references to and provisions for a living wage and replaces
them with provisions requiring a minimum wage, described as follows. Under this
bill, DWD must continue to provide the exemptions listed above as well as separate
minimum wages for opportunity employees, agricultural employees, camp
counselors, golf caddies, students employed at independent colleges and universities
for less than 20 hours per week, student learners employed in bona fide school
training programs, and individuals who are unable to earn the standard minimum
wages because of a disability. For employees generally, however, including tipped
employees, the bill sets the minimum wage as follows: - See PDF for table PDF
Beginning six years after the bill's effective date, the bill requires DWD
annually to promulgate rules revising the minimum wages established under the bill
by determining the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the
preceding 12-month period (year) and the consumer price index for the year before
the preceding year, adjusting the minimum wages then in effect by that percentage
difference, and rounding that result to the nearest multiple of five cents. DWD,
however, is not required to revise the general minimum wage if the consumer price

index for the preceding year has not increased over the consumer price index for the
year before the preceding year.
Finally, current law prohibits a city, village, town, or county from enacting and
administering an ordinance establishing a living wage. This bill eliminates that
prohibition.
For further information see the state and local 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:
AB264,1 1Section 1. 49.141 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,3,42 49.141 (1) (g) "Minimum wage" means the state minimum hourly wage under
3ch. 104 s. 104.035 (1) or the federal minimum hourly wage under 29 USC 206 (a)
4(1), whichever is applicable.
AB264,2 5Section 2. 103.06 (1) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,3,86 103.06 (1) (b) 5. For purposes of maintaining records under sub. (3) (a) 4. as
7required under rules promulgated under s. 104.04 104.035, an employee, as defined
8in s. 104.01 (2).
AB264,3 9Section 3. 103.06 (1) (c) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,3,1210 103.06 (1) (c) 5. For purposes of maintaining records under sub. (3) (a) 4. as
11required under rules promulgated under s. 104.04 104.035, an employer, as defined
12in s. 104.01 (3).
AB264,4 13Section 4. 103.06 (3) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,3,1814 103.06 (3) (a) 4. That the employer is maintaining records of the hours worked
15by its employees, the wages paid to those employees, any deductions from those
16wages, and any other information that the employer is required to keep under rules
17promulgated under s. 103.02 or 104.04 104.035, and is listing deductions from wages
18as required under s. 103.457.
AB264,5
1Section 5. 103.06 (4) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,4,82 103.06 (4) (a) 1. Enter and inspect any place of business or place of employment
3and examine and copy any records that the employer is required to keep under rules
4promulgated under s. 103.02 or 104.04 104.035; any books, registers, payroll records,
5records of wage withholdings, records of work activity and hours of work, and records
6or indicia of the employment status of persons performing work for the employer; and
7any other records relating to compliance with the requirements specified in sub. (3)
8(a).
AB264,6 9Section 6. 103.67 (2) (fm) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,4,1110 103.67 (2) (fm) 3. The minor is paid the applicable minimum wage under ch.
11104
s. 104.035 or under federal law, whichever is greater, for the work.
AB264,7 12Section 7. 103.70 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,4,1413 103.70 (2) (b) 3. The minor is paid the applicable minimum wage under ch. 104
14s. 104.035 or under federal law, whichever is greater, for the work.
AB264,8 15Section 8. 104.001 of the statutes is repealed.
AB264,9 16Section 9. 104.01 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,4,18 17104.01 Definitions. (intro.) The following terms as used in In this chapter
18shall be construed as follows:
AB264,10 19Section 10. 104.01 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 104.01 (1m).
AB264,11 20Section 11. 104.01 (1d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB264,4,2221 104.01 (1d) "Agricultural employee" means an employee who is employed in
22the operation of farm premises, as described in s. 102.04 (3).
AB264,12 23Section 12. 104.01 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB264,5,224 104.01 (1g) "Consumer price index" means the average of the consumer price
25index over each 12-month period for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, all

1items, not seasonally adjusted, as determined by the bureau of labor statistics of the
2U.S. department of labor.
AB264,13 3Section 13. 104.01 (5) of the statutes is repealed.
AB264,14 4Section 14. 104.01 (5m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB264,5,65 104.01 (5m) "Opportunity employee" means a person under 20 years of age who
6is in the first 90 consecutive days of employment with his or her employer.
AB264,15 7Section 15. 104.01 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB264,5,98 104.01 (8) The term "wage" and the term "wages" shall each mean "Wage"
9means
any compensation for labor measured by time, piece, or otherwise.
AB264,16 10Section 16. 104.02 and 104.03 of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered
11104.02 and amended to read:
AB264,5,18 12104.02 Living Minimum wage prescribed: requirement to pay. Every
13wage paid or agreed to be paid by any employer to any employee, except as otherwise
14provided in s. 104.07, shall be not less than a living the applicable minimum wage
15established under s. 104.035. 104.03 Unlawful wages. Any employer paying,
16offering to pay, or agreeing to pay any employee a wage lower or less in value than
17 a living the applicable minimum wage established under s. 104.035 is guilty of a
18violation of this chapter.
AB264,17 19Section 17. 104.035 of the statutes is created to read:
AB264,5,21 20104.035 Minimum wage; established. (1) Employees generally. Except
21as provided in subs. (2) and (3), the minimum wage is as follows:
AB264,5,2322 (a) For wages earned before the first day of the 15th month beginning after
23publication .... [LRB inserts date], $8.50 per hour.
AB264,6,3
1(b) For wages earned beginning on the first day of the 15th month beginning
2after publication .... [LRB inserts date], and ending on the last day of the 26th month
3beginning after publication .... [LRB inserts date], $10 per hour.
AB264,6,64 (c) For wages earned beginning on the first day of the 27th month beginning
5after publication .... [LRB inserts date], and ending on the last day of the 38th month
6beginning after publication .... [LRB inserts date], $11.50 per hour.
AB264,6,97 (d) For wages earned beginning on the first day of the 39th month beginning
8after publication .... [LRB inserts date], and ending on the last day of the 50th month
9beginning after publication .... [LRB inserts date], $13 per hour.
AB264,6,1210 (e) For wages earned beginning on the first day of the 51st month beginning
11after publication .... [LRB inserts date], and ending on the last day of the 62nd month
12beginning after publication .... [LRB inserts date], $14 per hour.
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