Labor History Bill Passes Senate on Bi-Partisan Vote
Bill now headed to Governor

(Madison)—State Senator Dave Hansen’s (D-Green Bay) effort to improve students’ understanding of labor
history moved a step closer to becoming law today when the state Senate passed Assembly Bill 172 authored by
Senator Hansen and state Representative Andy Jorgenson (D-Fort Atkinson) on a bi-partisan vote of 20-12.
“For those of us who believe in making sure our children learn the important role that organized labor has
played in our state’s and nation’s history this has been a long time coming,’ said Hansen who has introduced
similar legislation since taking office in 2001. “I am especially pleased that a number of our colleagues across
the aisle supported this effort.”

AB-172 earlier passed the Assembly on a vote of 61-38 after being amended to require the state superintendent
to incorporate the history of organized labor and the collective bargaining process into the model academic
standards for social studies.

“At a time when people are hurting, primarily as a result of a Wall Street dominated culture that promoted greed
and get-rich-quick schemes over the value of hard work, it is important for our young people to learn about the
important role that organized labor and working men and women have played in helping create the middle class.
A lot of the benefits that we take for granted today are the result of a lot of hard work by workers who
organized for betterment of their families and other workers.”
The bill now goes to the Governor to be signed into law.