An Act to repeal 102.01 (2) (ad), 102.15 (1) (b), 102.18 (1) (b) 1t., 227.43 (1) (bm), 227.43 (2) (am), 227.43 (3) (bm) and 227.43 (4) (bm); to amend 40.65 (2) (b) 3., 40.65 (2) (b) 4., 102.01 (2) (dm), 102.04 (2r) (b), 102.07 (8) (c), 102.12, 102.13 (1) (c), 102.13 (1) (d) 2., 102.13 (1) (d) 3., 102.13 (1) (f), 102.13 (2) (a), 102.13 (3), 102.13 (4), 102.13 (5), 102.14 (title), 102.14 (1), 102.14 (2), 102.16 (1m) (a), 102.16 (1m) (b), 102.16 (1m) (c), 102.16 (2) (a), 102.16 (2) (b), 102.16 (2m) (a), 102.16 (2m) (b), 102.16 (4), 102.17 (1) (a) 1., 102.17 (1) (a) 2., 102.17 (1) (a) 3., 102.17 (1) (a) 4., 102.17 (1) (b), 102.17 (1) (c), 102.17 (1) (cg) 1., 102.17 (1) (cg) 2., 102.17 (1) (cg) 2m., 102.17 (1) (cg) 3., 102.17 (1) (cr), 102.17 (1) (ct), 102.17 (1) (d) 2. and 4., 102.17 (1) (e), 102.17 (1) (f) 1., 102.17 (1) (g), 102.17 (1) (h), 102.17 (2), 102.17 (2m), 102.17 (2s), 102.17 (4) (a), 102.17 (7) (b), 102.17 (7) (c), 102.17 (8), 102.175 (2), 102.175 (3) (c), 102.18 (1) (b) 1., 102.18 (1) (b) 1d., 102.18 (1) (b) 2., 102.18 (1) (b) 3., 102.18 (1) (bg) 1., 102.18 (1) (bg) 2., 102.18 (1) (bg) 3., 102.18 (1) (bw), 102.18 (1) (c), 102.18 (1) (e), 102.18 (3), 102.18 (4) (c) 3., 102.18 (4) (d), 102.18 (5), 102.18 (6), 102.195, 102.22 (1), 102.22 (2), 102.23 (2), 102.23 (3), 102.23 (5), 102.24 (2), 102.25 (1), 102.26 (2), 102.26 (3) (b) 1., 102.26 (3) (b) 3., 102.26 (4), 102.27 (2) (b), 102.28 (3) (c), 102.28 (4) (c), 102.29 (1) (b) (intro.), 102.29 (1) (c), 102.29 (1) (d), 102.30 (7) (a), 102.32 (1m) (intro.), 102.32 (1m) (a), 102.32 (1m) (c), 102.32 (1m) (d), 102.32 (5), 102.32 (6m) (a), 102.32 (7), 102.33 (1), 102.33 (2) (a), 102.33 (2) (b) (intro.), 102.33 (2) (b) 1., 102.33 (2) (b) 2., 102.33 (2) (b) 4., 102.33 (2) (c), 102.33 (2) (d) 2., 102.35 (3), 102.42 (1m), 102.42 (6), 102.42 (8), 102.425 (4m) (a), 102.425 (4m) (b), 102.43 (5) (b), 102.44 (2), 102.44 (6) (b), 102.475 (6), 102.48 (1), 102.48 (2), 102.48 (3), 102.49 (3), 102.49 (6), 102.51 (3), 102.51 (4), 102.51 (6), 102.55 (3), 102.555 (12) (a), 102.56 (1), 102.56 (2), 102.565 (1), 102.565 (2), 102.565 (3), 102.61 (1g) (c), 102.61 (2), 102.62, 102.64 (1), 102.64 (2), 102.65 (3), 102.66 (1) and 102.75 (1); to repeal and recreate 102.16 (1) and 102.18 (2) of the statutes; Relating to: transferring adjudicatory functions for workerâs compensation from the Division of Hearings and Appeals in the Department of Administration to the Department of Workforce Development. (FE)
AB232 is a workers’ compensation administration bill that transfers adjudicatory functions for workers’ compensation cases from the Division of Hearings and Appeals in the Department of Administration to the Department of Workforce Development. To accomplish that transfer, the bill revises a large number of workers’ compensation statutes so that references to the “division” are changed to the Department of Workforce Development, and it repeals or recreates provisions governing hearings, subpoenas, evidence, appeals, settlements, and related procedures. It also makes conforming changes to provisions involving the council on worker’s compensation, state employee claims, fee disputes, medical treatment disputes, vocational rehabilitation, death benefits, and confidentiality of records.
The bill’s practical effect is to centralize workers’ compensation dispute resolution and related administrative functions within the Department of Workforce Development. It transfers relevant assets, liabilities, employees, records, contracts, rules, and pending matters from the Division of Hearings and Appeals to DWD, while preserving employee status protections for transferred staff. The act also updates procedural rules so that DWD examiners, rather than DOA hearing staff, will handle hearings and issue orders in workers’ compensation matters beginning on the bill’s effective date.
AB232 also makes a broad set of technical and substantive conforming amendments throughout ch. 102 and related statutes to align the workers’ compensation system with the new administrative structure. These changes affect employers, insurers, self-insured employers, injured workers, health care providers, pharmacists, attorneys, and state agencies by redirecting where claims are heard and how disputes over compensation, medical fees, treatment necessity, prescription drug charges, and rehabilitation services are processed. The bill preserves many existing standards and remedies, but shifts the decision-making authority to DWD.
The overall sentiment reflected in the available record is limited because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes included here. Based on the bill’s structure, it appears primarily administrative and technical rather than ideological, aimed at reorganizing agency responsibilities and improving consistency in workers’ compensation adjudication. No explicit support or opposition is documented in the provided materials.
Notable points of contention are not captured in the available context, but the most likely areas of debate would be the transfer of adjudicatory authority away from the Division of Hearings and Appeals, the impact on independence and efficiency of workers’ compensation decisions, and the administrative burden of moving staff, pending cases, and records to DWD. The bill also touches on sensitive issues such as medical privacy, attorney representation, fee disputes, and employer/insurer liability, which could draw interest from labor, business, and legal stakeholders.