Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Introduced 2 R cosponsors

SB 29 — Relating to: requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time.

Last action — Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

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  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 12, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 15 sponsors

    1 primary, 14 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

An Act to amend 119.04 (1); to create 120.12 (29) of the statutes;

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

74 added · 35 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to Senate Bill 29 requires school boards to adopt policies that typically prohibit students from using personal wireless communication devices, like cell phones and tablets, during instructional time. The bill also now mandates that school boards submit their policies to the Department of Justice and legislative council within 14 days of adoption. Additionally, it clarifies exceptions for emergencies, health management, individualized education plans, and authorized educational use by teachers. These changes aim to streamline communication about the policies and ensure more consistency in managing device use in schools, which can impact student focus and learning outcomes.

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- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRBa0037/1 FFK:cdc SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 29 February 24, 2025 - Offered by SenatABRAL-GUEVARA .
- 2026 LEGISLATURE LRB-1382/1 FFK:emw SENATE BILL 29 February 12, 2025 - Introduced by Senators C ABRAL-GUEVARA and F EYEN , cosponsored by Representatives KITCHENS , KNODL, D ITTRIC, D ONOVAN , G REEN, B.
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
JACOBSON , MELOTIK, MURPHY , MURSAU , NEDWESKI, O'CONNOR , STEFFEN and T USLER.
Referred to Committee on Education.
A N A CT to amend 119.04 (1);
to create 120.12 (29) of the statutes;
relating to:
requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill requires each school board to adopt, by July 1, 2026, a policy that generally prohibits pupils from using wireless communication devices during instructional time.
For purposes of these policies, the bill requires each school board to define a “wireless communication device” as a portable wireless device that is capable of providing voice, messaging, or other data communication between two or more parties.
The bill expressly states that this definition must include cellular phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and gaming devices.
Finally, under the bill, each school board must include in its wireless communication device policy exceptions to the general prohibition against using wireless communication devices during instructional time 1) for emergencies and perceived threats, 2) to manage a pupil’s health care, 3) for a use included in an individualized education program or plan, and 4) for a use authorized by a teacher for educational purposes.
The bill also authorizes a school board to include other exceptions if the school board determines that doing so is beneficial for pupil education or well-being.
- 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRB-1382/1 FFK:emw SENATE BILL 29 SECTION 1 The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
S ECTION 1.
119.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
119.04 (1) Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch.
115, ch.
121 and ss.
66.0235 (3) (c), 66.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343, 115.345, 115.363, 115.364, 115.365 (3), 115.366, 115.367, 115.38 (2), 115.415, 115.445, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06, 118.07, 118.075, 118.076, 118.10, 118.12, 118.124, 118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162, 118.163, 118.164, 118.18, 118.19, 118.196, 118.20, 118.223, 118.225, 118.24 (1), (2) (c) to (f), (6), (8), and (10), 118.245, 118.25, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.292, 118.293, 118.2935, 118.30 to 118.43, 118.46, 118.50, 118.51, 118.52, 118.53, 118.55, 118.56, 118.58, 120.12 (2m), (4m), (5), and (15) to (27), and (29), 120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), and (38), 120.137, 120.14, 120.20, 120.21 (3), and 120.25 are applicable to a 1st class city school district and board but not, unless explicitly provided in this chapter or in the terms of a contract, to the commissioner or to any school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program.
S ECTION 2.
120.12 (29) of the statutes is created to read:
120.12 (29) ROHIBITED USES OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES.
(a) By July 1, 2026, adopt a wireless communication device policy that prohibits pupils from using a wireless communication device during instructional time.
A school board may include in the policy under this paragraph consequences for a pupil violating the policy, including confiscating a pupil’s wireless communication device for the remainder of the school day.
- 2026 Legislature - 3 - LRB-1382/1 FFK:emw SENATE BILL 29 SECTION 2 (b) Include all of the following in a policy under par.
(a):
Page 2, line 1:
That "wireless communication device" means a portable wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between 2 or more parties and includes all of the following:
before that line insert:
a.
XSECTION 1b.
A cellular telephone.
115.28 (38) of the statutes is created to read:
b.
115.28 (38) PROHIBITED USES OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES ;
A tablet computer.
POLICIE.
c.
Within 14 days after receiving a policy or updated policy under s.
A laptop computer.
120.12 (29) (d), submit the policy or updated policy to the office of school safety in the department of justice and the legislative council.
d.
S ECTION 1c.
A gaming device.
118.258 (title) and (1) of the statutes are repealed.
S ECTION 1e.
118.258 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 120.12 (29) (c) and amended to read:
120.12 (29) (c) Annually, if the school board adopts rules under sub.
(1), it - 2026 Legislature - 2 - LRBFFK:cdc shall provide each pupil enrolled in the school district with a copy of the rules policy under par.
Show all 65 changed rows (25 more)
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Latest
(a).Y.
Page 2, line 8:
Exceptions to the prohibition required under par.
delete X118.258,Y and substitute X118.258,Y.
(a) for all of the following:
a.
In the event of an emergency or a perceived threat.
b.
To manage the pupil’s health care.
c.
A use included in a pupil’s individualized education program or a plan developed under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
d.
A use authorized by a teacher for educational purposes during instructional time.
Page 2, line 19:
Other exceptions to the prohibition required under par.
after XdeviceY insert X, other than a school district-issued wireless communication device,Y.
(a) if the school board determines doing so is beneficial to pupil learning or well-being.
4.
Page 3, line 16:
delete lines 16 and 17.
5.
Page 3, line 17:
after that line insert:
X(d) 1.
By no later than October 1, 2026, submit a copy of the policy under par.
(a), or if applicable, a policy that is more restrictive than what is required under this subsection, to the department.
2.
By no later than October 1, 2027, and each October 1 thereafter, notify the department of whether changes were made to the policy submitted under this paragraph in the previous school year, and if changes were made, submit the updated policy to the department.
(e) Nothing in this subsection prohibits a school board from adopting a policy relating to the use or possession of wireless communication devices by pupils that is more restrictive than what is required under this subsection.Y.
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Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Available for scheduling

  3. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  4. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 4, Noes 1

  5. Executive action taken

  6. Public hearing held

  7. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Cabral-Guevara

  8. Read first time and referred to Committee on Education

  9. Introduced by Senators Cabral-Guevara and Feyen; cosponsored by Representatives Kitchens, Knodl, Dittrich, Donovan, Green, B. Jacobson, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Steffen and Tusler

Sponsors

  • Kitchens · Cosponsor
  • Knodl · Cosponsor
  • Dittrich · Cosponsor
  • Donovan · Cosponsor
  • Green · Cosponsor
  • B. Jacobson · Cosponsor
  • Melotik · Cosponsor
  • Murphy · Cosponsor
  • Mursau · Cosponsor
  • Nedweski · Cosponsor
  • O'Connor · Cosponsor
  • Steffen · Cosponsor
  • Tusler · Cosponsor
  • Rachael Cabral-Guevara · Primary
  • Dan Feyen · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 14 co-sponsors · 117 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (14)

  • Kitchens
  • Knodl
  • Dittrich
  • Donovan
  • Green
  • B. Jacobson
  • Melotik
  • Murphy
  • Mursau
  • Nedweski
  • O'Connor
  • Steffen
  • Tusler
  • Feyen, Dan Republican

Not signed on (117)

117 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 117 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Votes

Subjects

education technology
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 29 do?
An Act to amend 119.04 (1); to create 120.12 (29) of the statutes;
Who sponsors SB 29?
SB 29 is sponsored by Kitchens, Knodl, Dittrich, Donovan, Green, B. Jacobson, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Steffen, Tusler, Cabral-Guevara, Rachael (Republican), and Feyen, Dan (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 29?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 12, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 29?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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