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AB 1169

Relating to: a state minimum wage, allowing the enactment of local minimum wage ordinances, and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Vinnie Miresse and 2 co-sponsors

Establishes a $15/hour state minimum with annual CPI-based boosts and lets local governments set their own minimum wages.

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 1169

Summary of AB 1169 (Wisconsin, 2025-2026)

Purpose and overall aim

AB 1169 seeks to establish a state minimum wage of $15 per hour (generally and starting three months after the bill’s effective date) and to grant local governments in Wisconsin the ability to enact their own minimum wage ordinances. It also introduces a state rule-making framework to set and revise minimum wage rates for specific employee categories and repeals several longstanding distinctions and restrictions within current wage law.

Key provisions and changes

  • General state minimum wage:
    • Establishes a baseline minimum wage of $15 per hour for most employees, effective three months after the bill becomes law.
  • Automatic annual adjustment (inflation indexing):
    • Starting one year after the effective date, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) would annually revise the minimum wage by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the prior year, rounding to the nearest five cents.
    • If CPI did not rise, DWD is not required to adjust the wage.
    • Revisions are published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register and on the DWD website.
  • Creation of a comprehensive rule framework for special groups:
    • DWD would promulgate rules to set specific minimum wages for:
    • Opportunity employees
    • Agricultural employees
    • Camp counselors
    • Golf caddies
    • Certain workers with disabilities
    • Student learners
    • Students employed by independent colleges/universities for limited hours
    • The Department would also determine exemptions (via rules) for:
    • Casual home employment (limited hours)
    • Household companionship with limited hours due to age/disability
    • Student work-like activities performed by students in schools
  • Local wage authority:
    • The prohibition on municipalities (cities, villages, towns, counties) enacting and administering their own minimum wage ordinances would be repealed. This means local governments could adopt and enforce their own minimum wage standards, subject to any state rules.
  • Repeals and adjustments to existing wage provisions:
    • Repeals several provisions that currently establish separate minimum wages for tipped employees, meal and lodging allowances, and minimum wages for minors and other specific groups.
    • Requires DWD to establish minimum wages for those groups by rule, rather than fixing them in statute.
    • Repeals rules relating to how tips can be counted toward the minimum wage, and the meal/lodging provisions.
  • Miscellaneous:
    • Introduces a new statutory reference (section 227.01(13)(Lw)) to adjust the minimum wage under the new framework.
    • Adds a defined term for “consumer price index” for consistent indexing.

Affected parties

  • Employees: General workforce would see a base wage increase to $15/hour, with inflation-based adjustments over time; special categories would receive state-determined minimums via rule.
  • Employers: Would face a higher wage floor for most employees and must comply with annual indexing and any locally enacted wage ordinances. They may need to adjust payroll practices for categories with specific rules.
  • Local governments: Gained authority to enact local minimum wage ordinances, potentially creating a patchwork of local standards if municipalities pursue different rates or rules.
  • DWD and state agencies: Responsible for implementing, publishing, and revising wage rules and maintaining the indexing process.

Timeline and procedural notes

  • Effective date: Three months after enactment.
  • First adjustment: Three months post-enactment for the general $15 wage.
  • Annual adjustments: Beginning one year after the effective date, contingent on CPI changes.
  • Legislative status: As of the latest update, the bill did not pass; the action history notes a failure to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 on March 23, 2026, despite introduction and committee referral.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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