Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance Law Changes

Wisconsin Legislative Events

Published April 3rd, 2026

Detected April 4th, 2026

Summary

Wisconsin Assembly Bill 167, which proposed various changes to state unemployment insurance law including new Joint Committee on Finance approval requirements for certain federally authorized unemployment benefits, was vetoed by Governor Tony Evers on April 3, 2026. The bill had passed the Assembly 53-42 on April 22, 2025, and the Senate 18-14 on January 21, 2026. Due to the veto, the proposed statutory amendments to sections 108.04 and 16.54 of Wisconsin statutes will not take effect.

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What changed

Wisconsin AB167 proposed significant changes to unemployment insurance law, including creation of new statute sections 16.54(14), 108.04(2)(a)4.c., 108.04(5)(e)(intro.), 108.04(5)(e)2., and 108.04(5)(h). The bill also would have amended multiple existing unemployment insurance statutes and required Joint Committee on Finance approval for certain federally authorized unemployment benefits. Affected statutes span sections 108.04 and 108.14 of Wisconsin law.

The bill was vetoed before becoming law, meaning none of these provisions take effect. No compliance actions are required. Employers and workforce development stakeholders should note that current unemployment insurance statutes remain unchanged. The vetoed bill's sponsor list included Representatives Duke Tucker, David Armstrong, Robert Brooks, and others, with the veto occurring on April 3, 2026.

Source document (simplified)

ChangeBridge / Wisconsin / AB167 Vetoed AB167 Assembly Bill Vetoed 2026-04-03

Various changes to the unemployment insurance law and requiring approval by the Joint Committee on Finance of certain federally authorized unemployment benefits. (FE)

An Act to renumber and amend 108.04 (2) (a) 4. and 108.04 (5) (e); to amend 16.54 (2) (a) 1., 108.04 (5) (b), 108.04 (15) (a) 1. and 108.14 (20); to create 16.54 (14), 108.04 (2) (a) 4. c., 108.04 (5) (e) (intro.), 108.04 (5) (e) 2. and 108.04 (5) (h) of the statutes; Relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law and requiring approval by the Joint Committee on Finance of certain federally authorized unemployment benefits. (FE)

Bill Details

State Wisconsin

Session 2025-2026 Regular Session

Chamber House

Official Source docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/re...

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Action History

2026-04-03 A Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-3-2026 2026-04-02 A Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026 2026-01-23 A Report correctly enrolled on 1-22-2026 2026-01-22 A LRB correction 2026-01-22 A Received from Senate concurred in 2026-01-21 S Ordered immediately messaged 2026-01-21 S Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 18, Noes 14 2026-01-21 S Rules suspended to give bill its third reading 2026-01-21 S Ordered to a third reading 2026-01-21 S Read a second time 2026-01-16 S Placed on calendar 1-21-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1) 2025-08-19 S Available for scheduling 2025-08-19 S Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2 2025-08-19 S Executive action taken 2025-05-06 S Public hearing held 2025-04-24 S Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development 2025-04-23 S Received from Assembly 2025-04-22 A Ordered immediately messaged 2025-04-22 A Read a third time and passed, Ayes 53, Noes 42, Paired 2 2025-04-22 A Rules suspended 2025-04-22 A Ordered to a third reading 2025-04-22 A Read a second time 2025-04-22 A Fiscal estimate received 2025-04-17 A Placed on calendar 4-22-2025 by Committee on Rules 2025-04-17 A Referred to committee on Rules 2025-04-17 A Report passage recommended by Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment, Ayes 6, Noes 3 2025-04-17 A Executive action taken 2025-04-09 A Public hearing held 2025-04-08 A Read first time and referred to Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment 2025-04-08 A Introduced

Votes

2025-04-22 Assembly: Read a third time and passed Yea: 53 Nay: 42 2026-01-21 Senate: Read a third time and concurred in Yea: 18 Nay: 14

Committee Referrals

2025-04-08 A Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment 2025-04-17 A Rules 2025-04-24 S Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development