LRB-4249/1
GMM:med:ph
2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE
March 15, 2012 - Introduced by Senators S. Coggs, Risser and Taylor, cosponsored
by Representatives Roys, Sinicki, C. Taylor, Turner, Berceau and Pocan.
Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.
SB566,1,4 1An Act to amend 111.31 (1), 111.31 (2), 111.31 (3), 111.321 and 111.322 (intro.);
2and to create 111.367 of the statutes; relating to: prohibiting discrimination
3in employment against an individual for signing or refusing to sign a recall
4petition.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of age, race,
creed, color, disability, marital status, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual
orientation, arrest record, conviction record, military service, use or nonuse of a
lawful product off the employer's premises during nonworking hours, or declining to
attend a meeting or to participate in any communication about religious or political
matters.
This bill prohibits discrimination in employment against an individual who
signs or refuses to sign a petition for the recall of any incumbent elective official
(recall petition). The bill provides, however, that it is not employment discrimination
on the basis of signing a recall petition for an employer to refuse to hire or employ
an individual, to suspend or terminate the employment of an individual, or to
discriminate against an individual in promotion, in compensation, or in terms,
conditions, or privileges of employment, because the individual signed a recall
petition if the individual is a nonpartisan employee of or an applicant for nonpartisan
employment with the Government Accountability Board, a legislative service
agency, either house of the legislature, a community relations-social development
commission, a municipal public utility, the Citizens Utility Board, or the Judicial

Commission and signing a recall petition impairs the nonpartisan character of the
employer.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB566, s. 1 1Section 1. 111.31 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB566,2,182 111.31 (1) The legislature finds that the practice of unfair discrimination in
3employment against properly qualified individuals by reason of their age, race,
4creed, color, disability, marital status, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual
5orientation, arrest record, conviction record, military service, use or nonuse of lawful
6products off the employer's premises during nonworking hours, signing or refusing
7to sign a recall petition under s. 9.10,
or declining to attend a meeting or to participate
8in any communication about religious matters or political matters, substantially and
9adversely affects the general welfare of the state. Employers, labor organizations,
10employment agencies, and licensing agencies that deny employment opportunities
11and discriminate in employment against properly qualified individuals solely
12because of their age, race, creed, color, disability, marital status, sex, national origin,
13ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction record, military service, use or
14nonuse of lawful products off the employer's premises during nonworking hours,
15signing or refusing to sign a recall petition under s. 9.10, or declining to attend a
16meeting or to participate in any communication about religious matters or political
17matters, deprive those individuals of the earnings that are necessary to maintain a
18just and decent standard of living.
SB566, s. 2 19Section 2. 111.31 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB566,3,1120 111.31 (2) It is the intent of the legislature to protect by law the rights of all
21individuals to obtain gainful employment and to enjoy privileges free from

1employment discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, disability, marital
2status, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction
3record, military service, use or nonuse of lawful products off the employer's premises
4during nonworking hours, signing or refusing to sign a recall petition under s. 9.10,
5or declining to attend a meeting or to participate in any communication about
6religious matters or political matters, and to encourage the full, nondiscriminatory
7utilization of the productive resources of the state to the benefit of the state, the
8family, and all the people of the state. It is the intent of the legislature in
9promulgating this subchapter to encourage employers to evaluate an employee or
10applicant for employment based upon the individual qualifications of the employee
11or applicant rather than upon a particular class to which the individual may belong.
SB566, s. 3 12Section 3. 111.31 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB566,3,2313 111.31 (3) In the interpretation and application of this subchapter, and
14otherwise, it is declared to be the public policy of the state to encourage and foster
15to the fullest extent practicable the employment of all properly qualified individuals
16regardless of age, race, creed, color, disability, marital status, sex, national origin,
17ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction record, military service, use or
18nonuse of lawful products off the employer's premises during nonworking hours,
19signing or refusing to sign a recall petition under s. 9.10, or declining to attend a
20meeting or to participate in any communication about religious matters or political
21matters. Nothing in this subsection requires an affirmative action program to
22correct an imbalance in the work force. This subchapter shall be liberally construed
23for the accomplishment of this purpose.
SB566, s. 4 24Section 4. 111.321 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB566,4,9
1111.321 Prohibited bases of discrimination. Subject to ss. 111.33 to
2111.365 111.367, no employer, labor organization, employment agency, licensing
3agency, or other person may engage in any act of employment discrimination as
4specified in s. 111.322 against any individual on the basis of age, race, creed, color,
5disability, marital status, sex, national origin, ancestry, arrest record, conviction
6record, military service, use or nonuse of lawful products off the employer's premises
7during nonworking hours, signing or refusing to sign a recall petition under s. 9.10,
8or declining to attend a meeting or to participate in any communication about
9religious matters or political matters.
SB566, s. 5 10Section 5. 111.322 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB566,4,13 11111.322 Discriminatory actions prohibited. (intro.) Subject to ss. 111.33
12to 111.365 111.367, it is an act of employment discrimination to do any of the
13following:
SB566, s. 6 14Section 6. 111.367 of the statutes is created to read:
SB566,5,2 15111.367 Signing recall petition; exceptions and special cases.
16Notwithstanding s. 111.322, it is not employment discrimination because of signing
17a recall petition under s. 9.10 for an employer to refuse to hire or employ an
18individual, to suspend or terminate the employment of an individual, or to
19discriminate against an individual in promotion, in compensation, or in terms,
20conditions, or privileges of employment, because the individual signed a recall
21petition under s. 9.10 if the individual is a nonpartisan employee of or an applicant
22for nonpartisan employment with the government accountability board, a legislative
23service agency, as defined in s. 13.90 (1m) (a), either house of the legislature, a
24community relations-social development commission, a municipal public utility, the

1citizens utility board, or the judicial commission and signing a recall petition under
2s. 9.10 impairs the nonpartisan character of the employer.
SB566, s. 7 3Section 7. Initial applicability.
SB566,5,74 (1) This act first applies to an employee who is affected by a collective
5bargaining agreement that contains provisions inconsistent with this act on the day
6on which the collective bargaining agreement expires or is extended, modified, or
7renewed, whichever occurs first.
SB566,5,88 (End)
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