Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB29 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
2	2	LRB-1382/1
3	3	FFK:emw
4	4	2025 SENATE BILL 29
5	5	February 12, 2025 - Introduced by Senators CABRAL-GUEVARA and FEYEN,
6	6	cosponsored by Representatives KITCHENS, KNODL, DITTRICH, DONOVAN,
7	7	GREEN, B. JACOBSON, MELOTIK, MURPHY, MURSAU, NEDWESKI, O'CONNOR,
8	8	STEFFEN and TUSLER. Referred to Committee on Education.
9	9	AN ACT to amend 119.04 (1); to create 120.12 (29) of the statutes; relating to:
10	10	requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless
11	11	communication devices during instructional time.
12	12	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
13	13	This bill requires each school board to adopt, by July 1, 2026, a policy that
14	14	generally prohibits pupils from using wireless communication devices during
15	15	instructional time. For purposes of these policies, the bill requires each school
16	16	board to define a Xwireless communication deviceY as a portable wireless device
17	17	that is capable of providing voice, messaging, or other data communication between
18	18	two or more parties. The bill expressly states that this definition must include
19	19	cellular phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and gaming devices. Finally,
20	20	under the bill, each school board must include in its wireless communication device
21	21	policy exceptions to the general prohibition against using wireless communication
22	22	devices during instructional time 1) for emergencies and perceived threats, 2) to
23	23	manage a pupil[s health care, 3) for a use included in an individualized education
24	24	program or 504 plan, and 4) for a use authorized by a teacher for educational
25	25	purposes. The bill also authorizes a school board to include other exceptions if the
26	26	school board determines that doing so is beneficial for pupil education or well-being.
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29	29	3 2025 - 2026 Legislature
30	30	SENATE BILL 29
31	31	- 2 - LRB-1382/1
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33	33	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
34	34	enact as follows:
35	35	SECTION 1. 119.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
36	36	119.04 (1) Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121 and ss. 66.0235 (3) (c),
37	37	66.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343,
38	38	115.345, 115.363, 115.364, 115.365 (3), 115.366, 115.367, 115.38 (2), 115.415,
39	39	115.445, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06, 118.07, 118.075, 118.076, 118.10,
40	40	118.12, 118.124, 118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162,
41	41	118.163, 118.164, 118.18, 118.19, 118.196, 118.20, 118.223, 118.225, 118.24 (1), (2)
42	42	(c) to (f), (6), (8), and (10), 118.245, 118.25, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.292,
43	43	118.293, 118.2935, 118.30 to 118.43, 118.46, 118.50, 118.51, 118.52, 118.53, 118.55,
44	44	118.56, 118.58, 120.12 (2m), (4m), (5), and (15) to (27), and (29), 120.125, 120.13 (1),
45	45	(2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), and (38), 120.137,
46	46	120.14, 120.20, 120.21 (3), and 120.25 are applicable to a 1st class city school
47	47	district and board but not, unless explicitly provided in this chapter or in the terms
48	48	of a contract, to the commissioner or to any school transferred to an opportunity
49	49	schools and partnership program.
50	50	SECTION 2. 120.12 (29) of the statutes is created to read:
51	51	120.12 (29) PROHIBITED USES OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES. (a) By
52	52	July 1, 2026, adopt a wireless communication device policy that prohibits pupils
53	53	from using a wireless communication device during instructional time. A school
54	54	board may include in the policy under this paragraph consequences for a pupil
55	55	violating the policy, including confiscating a pupil[s wireless communication device
56	56	for the remainder of the school day.
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78	78	22 2025 - 2026 Legislature
79	79	SENATE BILL 29
80	80	- 3 - LRB-1382/1
81	81	FFK:emw
82	82	SECTION 2
83	83	(b) Include all of the following in a policy under par. (a):
84	84	1. That "wireless communication device" means a portable wireless device
85	85	that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication
86	86	between 2 or more parties and includes all of the following:
87	87	a. A cellular telephone.
88	88	b. A tablet computer.
89	89	c. A laptop computer.
90	90	d. A gaming device.
91	91	2. Exceptions to the prohibition required under par. (a) for all of the following:
92	92	a. In the event of an emergency or a perceived threat.
93	93	b. To manage the pupil[s health care.
94	94	c. A use included in a pupil[s individualized education program or a plan
95	95	developed under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
96	96	d. A use authorized by a teacher for educational purposes during instructional
97	97	time.
98	98	3. Other exceptions to the prohibition required under par. (a) if the school
99	99	board determines doing so is beneficial to pupil learning or well-being.
100	100	(END)
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