The new bill authored by State Sen. Kelda Roys seeks to revise how Wisconsin Retirement System annuitants who return to work can manage their annuities, offering more flexibility in participation and suspension options, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “rehired annuitants. (FE)”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill revises the conditions under which Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) annuitants who return to work can continue receiving their annuities. Currently, if a WRS annuitant returns to work with a WRS-participating employer and meets certain work expectations, their annuity is suspended. The bill allows returning annuitants to choose between suspending their annuity and becoming a participating employee or continuing to receive their annuity without becoming a participating employee. Additionally, the bill reduces the waiting period for retirees returning to employment as participating employees from 75 days to 30 days. The bill removes specific statutes related to annuity suspensions and mandates an election for current annuitants under suspension who wish to continue their suspension within 60 days after the bill’s effective date.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Renuka Mayadev (Democrat-77th District), Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), Senator LaTonya Johnson (Democrat-6th District), Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), Senator Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), and Representative Ryan M. Clancy (Democrat-19th District), along 17 other co-sponsors.
Kelda Roys has authored or co-authored another 31 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Roys graduated from New York University in 2000 with a BA and again in 2004 from University of Wisconsin Law School with a JD.
Roys, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2021 to represent the state’s 26th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Fred Risser.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB301 | 06/02/2025 | Rehired annuitants. (FE) |
| SB271 | 05/21/2025 | Right to bodily autonomy, elimination of certain abortion-related regulations, and coverage of abortion under certain health care coverage plans. (FE) |
| SB268 | 05/20/2025 | Prohibiting corporal punishment in public and private schools |
| SB247 | 05/09/2025 | Local and private regulation of accessory dwelling units. (FE) |
| SB195 | 04/14/2025 | Serving maple syrup in a public eating place |
| SB142 | 03/21/2025 | Algorithmic software for residential housing, and providing a penalty |
