AB 168 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: various changes to the unemployment insurance law. (FE)

AB 168 would have updated Wisconsin's unemployment insurance law with several key changes. It required stronger identity verification for claimants filing benefits and operating a dedicated call center with extended hours during emergencies or high call volumes. The bill also mandated training materials for employers and required the unemployment department to notify lawmakers and the governor before changing fraud detection methods. This bill was vetoed by the governor on October 31, 2025, so these provisions did not become law.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

Aug 2025

Assembly Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Oct 2025

Vetoed

Oct 2025

Introduced Apr 8, 2025 Vetoed Oct 31, 2025

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What changed between versions

Bill Text → Text as Enrolled · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Wisconsin's unemployment insurance law to strengthen fraud prevention and improve claimant support. It mandates identity verification for new claims, requires the state to compare claimant data against federal and national databases weekly, and extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting unemployment fraud to eight years for cases involving benefits paid before September 2021. Additionally, it requires the Department of Workforce Development to expand call center hours during emergencies or high-volume periods and provide free training seminars for employers.

Scope change

The scope of fraud prosecution was expanded to include a longer statute of limitations (8 years) for specific historical cases, and the scope of required data comparisons was broadened to include specific federal and national databases.

REQUIREMENT

Mandated identity-proofing measures for claimants verifying identity before filing initial claims or engaging in other benefit transactions.

Required weekly comparisons of unemployment benefit recipients against death records, prison records, citizenship databases, and other national databases to detect fraud.

Required the Department of Workforce Development to operate a call center with extended hours (after 5 p.m. and weekends) if call volume increases by 300% or during declared emergencies.

Required the department to provide free quarterly training seminars for employers and publish training videos on its website.

ENFORCEMENT

Extended the statute of limitations for prosecuting unemployment fraud to eight years for violations related to benefits paid or payable on or before September 4, 2021.

Floor votes · Assembly Apr 22, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Oct 31, 2025

Vetoed

Report vetoed by the Governor on 10-31-2025

lower

Oct 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 18, Noes 15

upper

Aug 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read a third time and passed, Ayes 53, Noes 42, Paired 2

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Placed on calendar 4-22-2025 by Committee on Rules

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to committee on Rules

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report passage recommended by Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment, Ayes 6, Noes 3

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Introduced by Representatives Kreibich, O'Connor, Nedweski, Green, Duchow, Murphy, Knodl, B. Jacobson, Gundrum and Dittrich; cosponsored by Senator Feyen

lower

10 primary · 0 co-sponsors