I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to changes that could delay the timely processing of unemployment insurance claims and potentially delay benefit payments to eligible workers and families. I also further object to this bill potentially creating conflict with existing federal practices and requirements. As the Department of Workforce Development has indicated, extending the response period for employers to 12 business days could prevent it from meeting federal timeliness metrics required by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Federal standards require the department to issue 87 percent of first benefit payments within 14 calendar days and to complete 80 percent of adjudications within 21 calendar days. Because 12 business days could be up to 18 calendar days, the bill's change would make it more difficult for the department to meet the federal benchmarks, potentially jeopardizing Wisconsin's eligibility for full federal administrative funding for the UI program, which serves as the department's primary source of funding for claim administration. The proposed statutory response period could therefore create unnecessary administrative delays, increase the risk of reduced federal funding, and limit the department's ability to process claims efficiently, particularly during periods in which claim volume is high. Under current law, the department already provides employers adequate time to respond to requests for information while ensuring that unemployment benefits are processed in a timely manner for eligible claimants.
I remain puzzled by the Legislature's persistent focus on changing and restricting economic assistance programs, particularly in the absence of any broader, substantive proposals to effectively and meaningfully address the generational workforce challenges that have plagued this state for a generation. The people of Wisconsin rightfully expect their legislators to prioritize pressing issues affecting every part our state and to collaborate in developing meaningful solutions to address those challenges. I continue to welcome the Legislature's focus on real solutions that can help Wisconsin recruit, train, and retain talented workers and effectively compete to keep our homegrown talent.
Finally, as I have previously indicated to this Legislature, modifications proposed to the state's unemployment insurance law should be considered as part of the long-established process of review and recommendation by the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, or in consultation with the council and the department. This collaboration is designed to ensure that proposed modifications reflect the expertise and agreement of employers, workers, and the department, and I urge the Legislature to respect this important process and tradition.
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This bill would mandate that state agencies and authorities involved in coordinating, overseeing, or operating workforce development programs or activities monitor and report the performance of each such program or activity using performance indicators similar to those used in federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reporting, including employment percentages, median earnings, and educational attainment. This bill specifies that the following programs would fall under the definition of a workforce development program: (a) Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs; (b) initiatives offered by the Department of Corrections that reintegrate offenders into the community; (c) the employment and training program administered by the Department of Children and Families; (d) the Wisconsin Works program administered by the Department of Children and Families; and (e) any workforce development program or activity funded, whether directly or indirectly, by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to the duplicative, unnecessary, and burdensome provisions it creates. The Department of Workforce Development, in coordination with its various workforce partners, already works to enhance program alignment across agencies and streamline workforce-related reporting required under federal law. Additionally, many of the state's workforce development programs do not fit within the current reporting structure under WIOA and have separate requirements under current state law.
I have vetoed ·similar legislation previously and my position has not changed. 'Reforms' to change or restrict economic assistance programs that are, by definition, designed to support individuals and families experiencing urgent economic hardship will not solve our state's generational workforce challenges. Indeed, if they could, then presumably the broad, sweeping changes passed and enacted under my predecessor would have solved these challenges by now. And yet, our state's workforce challenges persist.
I continue to be perplexed by the Legislature's misplaced emphasis on changing and restricting economic assistance programs while offering no other comprehensive solutions or plans to meaningfully address our state's workforce challenges. It is especially concerning that the Legislature's apparent focus remains repassing bills I have previously vetoed, including this one. My commitment to the people of Wisconsin remains - I will always try to do the right thing, and I am committed to working with any legislator on either side of the aisle who shares my concerns and is ready to work together on substantive legislation to comprehensively address our state's workforce challenges.
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This bill would make several modifications to the unemployment insurance (UI) laws, including: (a) changes requiring the Department of Workforce Development to implement certain identity verification processes; (b) extending the statute of limitations for prosecuting DI-related fraud, including with respect to benefits obtained under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; (c) requiring the department to provide certain training for employers and claimants; (d) additional requirements for the department with respect to maintaining call center operations; (e) mandating the department to perform weekly state and national database tracking comparisons; and (f) requiring the department to make certain notifications in the event that it suspends or reduces fraud detection methods.
My position on these policies has not changed from the last time a similar proposal was sent to my desk. I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to creating additional barriers for individuals applying for and receiving benefits from a program that is designed to support people and families experiencing economic hardship, as well as creating additional mandates for the department in administering these benefits. The department already implements comprehensive fraud prevention strategies, including identity verification, making the proposal to mandate identity proofing both unnecessary and overly burdensome for claimants.
Further, the department currently offers education and resources not only to employers but also to individuals navigating the unemployment claims process. As such, the bill's requirements for training and informational materials are redundant. In addition, the bill includes new notification requirements that are unnecessary given the department's existing practices and would create added administrative complexity. This legislation would increase the department's workload without allocating any additional funding or support to manage these new duties.
Finally, modifications proposed to the state's unemployment insurance law should be considered as part of the long-established process of review and recommendation by the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, or in consultation with the council and the department. The process is intended to ensure that proposed modifications reflect the expertise and agreement of employers, workers, and the department.
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This bill would permit employers to report to the Department of Workforce Development when individuals claiming unemployment insurance benefits decline a job interview or job offer, fail to respond to a job interview offer or job offer, cancel or fail to attend a job interview without promptly rescheduling, are unavailable for or unable to perform work, or fail to return to work when recalled, except in certain circumstances. The department must consider these reports in determining whether a claimant is available. for work and has maintained an attachment to the labor market and whether the claimant has conducted a reasonable search for suitable work. Furthermore, the bill requires claimants to provide to the department weekly verification of all job offers, interview offers, recalls to return to work, and other work offers as part of the claimant's verification of a reasonable search for suitable work.
The bill requires the department to implement methods to address circumstances in which an employee fails to return to work or to accept suitable work without good cause, and the department must recover benefit overpayments and benefit payments to an individual who made misrepresentations in the name of another in order to obtain benefits. The bill adds to the department's annual unemployment insurance fraud report to the Legislature information on employer-submitted reports as described above. The bill generally takes effect the day after publication, except that the department's methods to address circumstances in which an employee fails to return td work or to accept suitable work without good cause must be in place by the first Sunday after the 180th day after publication.
I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I object to creating additional barriers for individuals applying for and receiving benefits from a program that is designed to support people and families experiencing economic hardship, as well as creating additional mandates for the department in administering these benefits. State law already includes multiple safeguards to prevent fraudulent activity, making this bill both unnecessary and duplicative. Current law requires claimants to be able to work, available for work, actively seek employment, and report on job search activities and any job offers or referrals they receive on a weekly basis. Failure to comply with these existing requirements may result in disqualification from benefits, repayment of overpayments, or penalties. This bill expands reporting obligations for claimants, requires weekly verification of all job-related interactions, and directs the department to investigate these reports-even when a claimant may have had good cause for their actions. Moreover, it imposes these additional responsibilities on the department without allocating any additional resources, thereby increasing administrative burden without improving outcomes.
I remain puzzled by the Legislature's persistent focus on changing and restricting economic assistance programs, particularly in the absence of any broader, substantive proposals to effectively tackle our state's workforce challenges. What is especially concerning is that, instead of advancing or adopting the comprehensive solutions I have proposed to address these issues, even without presenting alternatives on their own, the Legislature seems primarily intent on reintroducing bills I have previously vetoed.
Once again, as I have previously indicated several times, modifications proposed to the state's unemployment insurance law should be considered as part of the long-established process of review and recommendation by the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, or in consultation with the council and the department. The process is intended to ensure that proposed modifications reflect the expertise and agreement of employers, workers and the department.
Respectfully submitted,
TONY EVERS
Governor
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Communications
The Chief Clerk received the following coauthor and cosponsor requests on October 30, 2025:
hist212429Representative Tucker added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 47, relating to: tuition and fee remission for certain veterans and their dependents enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System or a technical college. hist212389Representative Rivera-Wagner added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 373, relating to: creating a refundable individual income tax credit for the parent of a stillbirth and making an appropriation. hist212428Representative Tucker added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 428, relating to: the University of Wisconsin Missing-in-Action Recovery and Identification Project, funding for the veterans housing and recovery program, eligibility changes for the veterans and surviving spouses property tax credit, and making an appropriation. hist212422Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 523, relating to: nonfunctional and counterfeit airbags and providing a penalty. hist212423Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 524, relating to: raising the legal age for sale, purchase, and possession of cigarettes and nicotine and tobacco products; providing a legal age for sale, purchase, and possession of electronic vaping devices; and providing a penalty. hist212424Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 530, relating to: the operation of drones over school property and providing a penalty. hist212425Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 580, relating to: disaster assistance grants. hist212426Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 581, relating to: disaster assistance and making an appropriation. hist212433Representative Brooks added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 599, relating to: allowing voters to automatically receive absentee ballots for every election, eliminating the indefinitely confined voter status for receiving absentee ballots, and providing a penalty. hist212427Representative Melotik added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 602, relating to: participating in the federal tax credit program for contributions to scholarship granting organizations. hist212441Representative Brill added as a coauthor of Assembly Bill 604, relating to: coverage under the Medical Assistance program for incarcerated individuals. hist212442Representative Haywood added as a coauthor of Assembly Joint Resolution 98, relating to: proclaiming October 2025 as Filipino American History Month in the state of Wisconsin. _____________
Agency Reports
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 13.172 (2) and (3), the following is a list of agency reports received from the executive branch and legislative service agencies. Supreme Court of Wisconsin
Director of State Courts Annual Report
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 758.19 (5)(e) and 758.19 (5)(f)
Received on October 1, 2025
Department of Tourism
Annual Report
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 41.11 (1)(h)
Received on October 1, 2025
Referred to Tourism
Department of Administration
Self-Funded Portal Report
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 16.973 (15)
Received on October 1, 2025
Referred to Science, Technology, and AI
Department of Administration
Fair Housing Plan and Consolidation Plan
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 16.302 (4)
Received on October 1, 2025
Referred to Housing and Real Estate
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
2025 Annual Report
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 238.07 (2)
Received on October 1, 2025
Referred to Jobs and Economy
Department of Administration
2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and associated 2025-2029 Fair Housing Plan
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 16.302 (4)
Received on October 1, 2025
Referred to Housing and Real Estate
Commissioner of Insurance
Social and Financial Impact Report on 2025 Senate Bill 434
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 601.423 (2)(a)
Received on October 2, 2025
Referred to Health, Aging, and Long-Term Care
Commissioner of Insurance
Social and Financial Impact Reports on 2025 Senate Bill 492 and Assembly Bill 499
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 601.423 (2)(a)
Received on October 7 & 9, 2025
Referred to Insurance
Department of Natural Resources
2025 Promotional Activities Report
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 23.165 (6)
Received on October 13, 2025
