Date of enactment: March 27, 2024
2023 Senate Bill 169 Date of publication*: March 28, 2024
2023 WISCONSIN ACT 228
AN ACT to create 106.361 of the statutes; relating to: establishing a hotline for employers interested in hiring indi-
viduals with a conviction record.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in
senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
JOINT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PREFATORY NOTE: This bill
was prepared for the Legislative Council Study Committee on
Increasing Offender Employment Opportunities. The bill
requires the Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
to establish a hotline, operating during normal business hours
and staffed by DWD employees, to assist employers seeking
to employ individuals with a conviction record. The bill
requires DWD to provide information and assistance relating
to available incentives and programs under state and federal
law for employing individuals with a criminal record, includ-
ing individuals participating in certain work release pro-
grams.
SECTION 1. 106.361 of the statutes is created to read:
106.361 Hotline for employers. (1) The depart-
ment shall maintain a toll−free telephone number as a
hotline to assist employers seeking to employ individuals
with a conviction record, as defined in s. 111.32 (3). The
department shall make the hotline available during nor-
mal work hours, as determined by the department. The
department shall designate hotline staff to provide
employers with information and assistance relating to
available incentives and programs under state and federal
law for employing individuals with a conviction record,
including individuals on release under s. 302.27, individ-
uals on work release under s. 303.065, and individuals on
Huber release under s. 303.08 or 973.09 (4).
(2) The department shall maintain a website that con-
tains information relating to employing individuals with
a conviction record, including individuals on release
under s. 302.27, individuals on work release under s.
303.065, and individuals on Huber release under s.
303.08 or 973.09 (4).
* Section 991.11, WISCONSIN STATUTES: Effective date of acts. “Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor’s
partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication.”