Shae Alan Sortwell, Wisconsin State Representative for 2nd District | Official Website
Shae Alan Sortwell, Wisconsin State Representative for 2nd District | Official Website
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "transferring adjudicatory functions for worker’s compensation from the Division of Hearings and Appeals in the Department of Administration to the Department of Workforce Development. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill transfers the adjudicatory functions for work-related compensation claims from the Division of Hearings and Appeals within the Department of Administration to the Department of Workforce Development in Wisconsin. The changes involve the repeal, amendment, and recreation of numerous statutory provisions to facilitate this transfer. Affected provisions include those related to hearings, appeals, and examinations under worker’s compensation claims. Also, positions, assets, and certain pending matters within the Division of Hearings and Appeals will be transferred to the Department of Workforce Development. The bill establishes that employees affected by the transfer will retain their employment status and rights as before. All rules, contracts, and orders relevant to the adjudicative functions of worker's compensation within the Division are transferred to and remain effective within the Department of Workforce Development until modified or expired. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Patrick Testin (Republican-24th District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Clint P. Moses (Republican-92nd District), Representative David Murphy (Republican-56th District), Representative Christine Sinicki (Democrat-20th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District), Senator Jamie Wall (Democrat-30th District), and Senator Van H. Wanggaard (Republican-21st District), along two other co-sponsors.
Shae A. Sortwell has co-authored or authored another 41 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Sortwell graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2006 with a BA.
Sortwell, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2019 to represent the state's 2nd Assembly district, replacing previous state representative André Jacque.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| AB232 | 05/02/2025 | Transferring adjudicatory functions for worker’s compensation from the Division of Hearings and Appeals in the Department of Administration to the Department of Workforce Development. (FE) |
| AB187 | 04/15/2025 | Training completion awards for volunteer firefighters. (FE) |
| AB172 | 04/09/2025 | Consumer data protection and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| AB149 | 03/17/2025 | The nomination of presidential electors |
| AB132 | 03/13/2025 | Creating a board to organize, promote, and host a Wisconsin nuclear power summit. (FE) |
| AB127 | 03/11/2025 | The duty of a pharmacist to dispense lawfully prescribed drugs and devices. (FE) |
| AB108 | 03/11/2025 | A nuclear power siting study and time limits for taking final action on certain certificate of public convenience and necessity applications. (FE) |
| AB88 | 02/28/2025 | Civil action for injury or damages resulting from riot or vandalism, participation in a riot, prohibiting certain limitations or restrictions on law enforcement responses to riot or vandalism activity, and providing a penalty |
| AB87 | 02/28/2025 | Restitution orders following a conviction for human trafficking and restoration of the right to vote to a person barred from voting as a result of a felony conviction. (FE) |
| AB86 | 02/28/2025 | Imposing the penalty of life imprisonment for the crime of child trafficking and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| AB42 | 02/17/2025 | Local regulation of fowl |
| AB41 | 02/17/2025 | Local regulation of vegetable gardens |
| AB26 | 02/17/2025 | Battery or threat to jurors and providing a penalty |
| AB17 | 02/06/2025 | Creating an employee ownership conversion costs tax credit, a deduction for capital gains from the transfer of a business to employee ownership, and an employee ownership education and outreach program. (FE) |
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