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Bill > SB35
WI SB35
Law enforcement and firefighter annuitants in the Wisconsin Retirement System who are rehired by a participating employer. (FE)
summary
Introduced
02/12/2025
02/12/2025
In Committee
02/12/2025
02/12/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Under current law, certain persons who receive a retirement or disability annuity from the Wisconsin Retirement System and who are hired by an employer that participates in the WRS must suspend that annuity and may not receive a WRS annuity payment until the employee is no longer in a WRS-covered position. This suspension applies to a person who 1) has reached his or her normal retirement date; 2) is appointed to a position with a WRS-participating employer or provides employee services to a WRS-participating employer; and 3) is expected to work at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the Department of Employee Trust Funds. This bill creates an exception to this suspension for an annuitant who retired from employment with a participating employer and who is subsequently rehired or provides employee services after retirement if 1) the annuitant is a retired law enforcement officer or firefighter; 2) at the time the annuitant initially retires from covered employment with a participating employer, the annuitant does not have an LRB-0063/1 MIM:wlj 2025 - 2026 Legislature SENATE BILL 35 agreement with any participating employer to return to employment; and 3) the annuitant elects to not become a participating employee at the time the annuitant is rehired or enters into a contract after retirement. In other words, the bill allows an annuitant who was a law enforcement officer or firefighter to return to work with an employer that participates in the WRS and elect to not become a participating employee for purposes of the WRS but instead continue to receive an annuity from the WRS. For further information see the local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
AI Summary
This bill modifies the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) by creating a new provision for law enforcement officers and firefighters who are rehired after retirement. Specifically, the bill allows retired law enforcement officers and firefighters to return to work for a participating employer after a 75-day break in employment without being automatically re-enrolled in the retirement system, provided they meet certain conditions. These conditions include: the participant must not have a pre-existing agreement to return to work at the time of termination, the participant must elect on a departmental form to not become a participating employee again, and the participant must be a retired law enforcement officer or firefighter. The bill amends several existing statutes to reference this new exception, ensuring that the new provision is integrated into the existing legal framework of the Wisconsin Retirement System. The changes are designed to provide more flexibility for retired public safety workers who may want to return to work in a limited capacity after retirement without disrupting their retirement benefits.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (12)
Julian Bradley (R)*,
Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R)*,
André Jacque (R)*,
Elijah Behnke (R),
Russell Goodwin (D),
Chanz Green (R),
Rob Kreibich (R),
Paul Melotik (R),
Vincent Miresse (D),
Dave Murphy (R),
Lisa Subeck (D),
Chuck Wichgers (R),
Last Action
Representative Brill added as a cosponsor (on 05/14/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb35 |
| Fiscal Note - SB35: Fiscal Estimate From ETF | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/fe/sb35/sb35_etf.pdf |
| BillText | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/SB35.pdf |
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