The Wisconsin Department of Commerce was a department in the executive branch of the

Government of Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Su ...

. It was established as the Wisconsin Department of Development in 1979, renamed to the Department of Commerce in 1995, and abolished in 2011. The department was responsible for implementing and overseeing the economic development programs for

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

through consultation, technical assistance, and relocation assistance. It also administered the distribution of federal economic assistance programs to local governments and businesses, and acts as a go-between for businesses and other government agencies. The department also enforced laws regarding safety and sanitation in buildings, petroleum products, and petroleum tanks. It also gave housing assistance to low income families. The Department of Commerce was administered by the

Secretary of Commerce, who was appointed by the

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

with the advice and consent of the

Wisconsin Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after those ...

History

The Department of Commerce traced its roots to the Division of Industrial Development which was originated within the Office of the Governor, as established by the

Wisconsin Legislature The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house, Wisconsin State Senate, and the lower Wisconsin State Assembly, both of which have had Republ ...

in 1955. It was renamed the Division of Economic Development in 1959, and was assigned at that time to the Wisconsin Department of Resource Development. In 1965, the division was returned to the Office of the Governor. Two years later, in the executive branch reorganization of 1967, it became part of the Department of Local Affairs and Development, where it absorbed local and regional planning functions. In 1971, the division was promoted to a department, when the Legislature created the Department of Business Development. The department then absorbed the division of tourism from the Department of Natural Resources in 1975. In 1979, the Department of Business Development was combined with the Department of Local Affairs and Development to form the Department of Development, which was renamed the Department of Commerce in 1995. In 2011, the Wisconsin Legislature voted to abolish the Department of Commerce. Its core economic development functions were transferred to the new Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Other functions, such as those promoting building safety and certain professional licensing, were transferred to a new Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. The Department of Commerce ceased operations on July 1, 2011.

Past Commerce Divisions

The following units are part of the Department of Commerce and report to the Secretary of Commerce: * Division of Administrative Services ** Bureau of Fiscal Services and Procurement ** Bureau of Human Resources, Facilities and Safety ** Bureau of Information Technology ** Bureau of Policy and Budget Development * Division of Business Development ** Bureau of Business Development ** Bureau of Business Finance and Compliance ** Bureau of Entrepreneurship and Technology ** Bureau of Minority Business Development * Division of Environmental and Regulatory Services ** Bureau of Petroleum *** Environmental Cleanup Fund Administration ** Bureau of Petroleum Products and Tanks * Division of Global Ventures ** Bureau of Export Development * Division of Housing and Community Development ** Bureau of Community Finance ** Bureau of Planning and Technical Assistance ** Bureau of Supportive Housing * Division of Safety and Buildings ** Bureau of Integrated Services ** Bureau of Program Development

External links

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
{{Authority control Government of Wisconsin State departments of commerce of the United States Government agencies established in 1979 Government agencies established in 1995 Government agencies disestablished in 2011