summary
Introduced
12/02/2025
12/02/2025
In Committee
12/02/2025
12/02/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
The service award program, administered by the Department of Administration, provides length-of-service awards to volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical responders, and volunteer emergency medical services practitioners. Under current law, vesting occurs once a volunteer firefighter, volunteer emergency medical responder, or volunteer emergency medical services practitioner attains 15 years of service for a municipality and reaches the age of 60. This bill changes the program so a volunteer firefighter, volunteer emergency medical responder, or volunteer emergency medical services practitioner is fully vested to receive a service award once he or she attains 20 years of service for a municipality and reaches the age of 53. For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
AI Summary
This bill modifies the existing service award program for volunteer emergency responders by changing the vesting requirements. Currently, volunteers become fully vested when they reach 15 years of service and age 60. Under the proposed changes, volunteers will now become fully vested after attaining 20 years of service for a municipality and reaching age 53. For volunteers with at least 10 but less than 20 years of service who have reached age 53, the bill allows for a partial length of service award, which will be less than the full award. The Department of Administration will be responsible for determining the specific amount of the partial award and will need to create rules to implement these changes. The bill aims to adjust the eligibility and payment structure for volunteer firefighters, emergency medical responders, and emergency medical services practitioners, potentially making the service awards more accessible to volunteers at a slightly younger age.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry
Sponsors (7)
Howard Marklein (R)*,
Elijah Behnke (R),
Barbara Dittrich (R),
Anthony Kurtz (R),
Jeff Mursau (R),
Todd Novak (R),
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D),
Last Action
Read first time and referred to Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development (on 12/02/2025)
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/sb688 |
| BillText | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/SB688.pdf |
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