Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB58 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
2	2	LRB-1703/1
3	3	MIM:skw
4	4	2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 58
5	5	February 24, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives O'CONNOR, MURPHY, BROOKS,
6	6	GOEBEN, GREEN, B. JACOBSON, KREIBICH, GUNDRUM, DITTRICH, PENTERMAN,
7	7	ARMSTRONG, WICHGERS, KNODL and BEHNKE, cosponsored by Senators FEYEN
8	8	and TOMCZYK. Referred to Committee on State Affairs.
9	9
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to create 1.14 (1m) of the statutes; relating to: flags flown, hung, or
12	12	displayed from a flagpole or the exterior of state and local buildings and
13	13	eliminating a related administrative rule.
14	14	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
15	15	This bill prohibits, with certain exceptions, any flag other than the U.S. flag
16	16	and the flag of the state of Wisconsin from being flown, hung, or displayed from a
17	17	flagpole or the exterior of any state office building or facility, including the state
18	18	capitol, or from any local government building or school building. The bill also
19	19	repeals an administrative rule that includes a similar requirement but authorizes
20	20	the governor to direct otherwise.
21	21	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
22	22	enact as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. 1.14 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
24	24	1.14 (1m) (a) The U.S. flag, the flag of the state of Wisconsin, and any flag of
25	25	a state agency shall be the only flags flown, hung, or displayed from a flagpole or
26	26	1
27	27	2
28	28	3
29	29	4
30	30	5
31	31	6 2025 - 2026 Legislature
32	32	ASSEMBLY BILL 58
33	33	- 2 - LRB-1703/1
34	34	MIM:skw
35	35	SECTION 1
36	36	the exterior of any state office building or facility, including the state capitol, from a
37	37	flagpole or the exterior of any building or facility leased by a state agency, from a
38	38	flagpole or the exterior of any building or facility owned or leased by a local
39	39	governmental unit, or from a flagpole or the exterior of any building or facility
40	40	owned, leased, or used by a school board.
41	41	(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to any of the following, if the flag is flown,
42	42	hung, or displayed from a flagpole or the exterior of a public building or facility
43	43	described in par. (a), in accordance with 4 USC 7:
44	44	1. A prisoners of war or missing in action flag or other appropriate flag
45	45	commemorating veterans, the U.S. or state armed forces, or the military.
46	46	2. A flag of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band for special,
47	47	occasional, or ceremonial purposes.
48	48	3. A flag of a state or territory of the United States, for special, occasional, or
49	49	ceremonial purposes.
50	50	4. A flag of a foreign nation for special, occasional, or ceremonial purposes.
51	51	5. A flag of a foreign nation to identify persons officially representing such
52	52	foreign nation or the property or premises of the person or nation.
53	53	6. A flag of a local governmental unit.
54	54	7. A recognized flag of a unit of firefighters, law enforcement officers,
55	55	emergency medical technicians, or other first responders.
56	56	8. A flag of a state that borders Wisconsin, at a shared weighing station at a
57	57	port of entry.
58	58	1
59	59	2
60	60	3
61	61	4
62	62	5
63	63	6
64	64	7
65	65	8
66	66	9
67	67	10
68	68	11
69	69	12
70	70	13
71	71	14
72	72	15
73	73	16
74	74	17
75	75	18
76	76	19
77	77	20
78	78	21
79	79	22 2025 - 2026 Legislature
80	80	ASSEMBLY BILL 58
81	81	- 3 - LRB-1703/1
82	82	MIM:skw
83	83	SECTION 1
84	84	9. A flag flown, hung, or displayed at a marina, airport, airfield, train, or bus
85	85	terminal, if the purpose of the flag at the site is for safety.
86	86	10. An official flag of a school or university or mascot, or the official flags of
87	87	visiting schools and universities for special, occasional, or ceremonial purposes.
88	88	(c) No flag flown, hung, or displayed under an exception in par. (b) may be a
89	89	flag that has been used for or is used for ceremonial purposes related to a political
90	90	party, a political or social cause, a sexual orientation or gender identity, a political,
91	91	ideological, or religious viewpoint, or a gang or extremist group as designated by the
92	92	federal bureau of investigation, nor a flag that commemorates, represents, or shows
93	93	support for or opposition to a political party, a political or social cause, a racial
94	94	identity, a sexual orientation or gender identity, or a political, ideological, or
95	95	religious viewpoint.
96	96	(d) No flag flown, hung, or displayed under an exception in par. (b) may be a
97	97	flag that has been used for or is used for ceremonial purposes and was designed to
98	98	recognize a holiday listed under s. 230.35 (4) (a) or 995.20 nor a flag that represents,
99	99	commemorates, or has been designed to recognize a holiday listed under s. 230.35
100	100	(4) (a) or 995.20.
101	101	(e) Paragraph (a) does not affect the rights of a federally recognized American
102	102	Indian tribe or band to fly, hang, or display flags on property within the boundaries
103	103	of an Indian reservation or other land held in trust for the tribe or band.
104	104	(f) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a state office building, facility, or property
105	105	that is leased or rented to a private, nongovernmental entity.
106	106	SECTION 2. Adm 2.07 (1) of the administrative code is repealed.
107	107	(END)
108	108	1
109	109	2
110	110	3
111	111	4
112	112	5
113	113	6
114	114	7
115	115	8
116	116	9
117	117	10
118	118	11
119	119	12
120	120	13
121	121	14
122	122	15
123	123	16
124	124	17
125	125	18
126	126	19
127	127	20
128	128	21
129	129	22
130	130	23
131	131	24