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AB2 • 2025

requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time

requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representatives Kitchens, Knodl, Dittrich, Donovan, Green, B. Jacobson, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Steffen and Tusler, cosponsored by Senators Cabral-Guevara and Feyen
Last action
2025-10-31
Official status
A - Enacted into Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time

requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time Status: A - Enacted into Law

What This Bill Does

  • requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time Status: A - Enacted into Law

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-31 Asm.

    Report approved by the Governor on 10-31-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 42

  2. 2025-10-31 Asm.

    Published 11-1-2025

  3. 2025-10-29 Asm.

    Presented to the Governor on 10-29-2025

  4. 2025-10-20 Asm.

    LRB correction ( Assembly Amendment 1 )

  5. 2025-10-20 Asm.

    Report correctly enrolled on 10-20-2025

  6. 2025-10-14 Sen.

    Read a second time

  7. 2025-10-14 Sen.

    Ordered to a third reading

  8. 2025-10-14 Sen.

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  9. 2025-10-14 Sen.

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 29, Noes 4

  10. 2025-10-14 Sen.

    Ordered immediately messaged

  11. 2025-10-14 Asm.

    Received from Senate concurred in

  12. 2025-10-13 Sen.

    Placed on calendar 10-14-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  13. 2025-04-11 Sen.

    Executive action taken

  14. 2025-04-11 Sen.

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education , Ayes 4, Noes 1

  15. 2025-04-11 Sen.

    Available for scheduling

  16. 2025-03-13 Sen.

    Public hearing held

  17. 2025-02-21 Sen.

    Read first time and referred to committee on Education

  18. 2025-02-20 Sen.

    Received from Assembly

  19. 2025-02-19 Asm.

    Read a second time

  20. 2025-02-19 Asm.

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  21. 2025-02-19 Asm.

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  22. 2025-02-19 Asm.

    Ordered to a third reading

  23. 2025-02-19 Asm.

    Rules suspended

  24. 2025-02-19 Asm.

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 53, Noes 45

  25. 2025-02-19 Asm.

    Ordered immediately messaged

  26. 2025-02-18 Asm.

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kitchens

  27. 2025-02-17 Asm.

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Science, Technology, and AI , Ayes 4, Noes 2

  28. 2025-02-17 Asm.

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Science, Technology, and AI , Ayes 4, Noes 2

  29. 2025-02-17 Asm.

    Referred to calendar of 2-19-2025 pursuant to Assembly Rule 45 (1)

  30. 2025-02-13 Asm.

    Executive action taken

  31. 2025-02-12 Asm.

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kitchens

  32. 2025-02-11 Asm.

    Public hearing held

  33. 2025-02-03 Asm.

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

  34. 2025-02-03 Asm.

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Science, Technology, and AI

Official Summary Text

requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time
Status: A - Enacted into Law

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Wisconsin Legislature: AB2: Bill Text

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2025
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Proposal Text
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AB2: Bill Text

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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-1255/1
FFK:emw
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 2
February 3, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives
Kitchens
,
Knodl
,
Dittrich
,
Donovan
,
Green
,
B. Jacobson
,
Melotik
,
Murphy
,
Mursau
,
Nedweski
,
O'Connor
,
Steffen
and
Tusler
, cosponsored by Senators
Cabral-Guevara
and
Feyen
. Referred to Committee on Science, Technology, and AI.
AB2,1,3
1
An Act

to amend
119.04 (1);
to create
120.12 (29) of the statutes;
relating to:

2
requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless
3
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 504 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.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB2,1
1
Section

1
.
119.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB2,2,15
2
119.04
(1)
Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121 and ss. 66.0235 (3) (c),
3
66.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343,
4
115.345, 115.363, 115.364, 115.365 (3), 115.366, 115.367, 115.38 (2), 115.415,
5
115.445, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06, 118.07, 118.075, 118.076, 118.10,
6
118.12, 118.124, 118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162,
7
118.163, 118.164, 118.18, 118.19, 118.196, 118.20, 118.223, 118.225, 118.24 (1), (2)
8
(c) to (f), (6), (8), and (10), 118.245, 118.25, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.292,
9
118.293, 118.2935, 118.30 to 118.43, 118.46, 118.50, 118.51, 118.52, 118.53, 118.55,
10
118.56, 118.58, 120.12 (2m), (4m), (5),
and
(15) to (27),
and (29),
120.125, 120.13 (1),
11
(2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), and (38), 120.137,
12
120.14, 120.20, 120.21 (3), and 120.25 are applicable to a 1st class city school
13
district and board but not, unless explicitly provided in this chapter or in the terms
14
of a contract, to the commissioner or to any school transferred to an opportunity
15
schools and partnership program.
AB2,2
16
Section
2
.
120.12 (29) of the statutes is created to read:
AB2,2,22
17
120.12
(29)

Prohibited uses of wireless communication devices.
(a) By
18
July 1, 2026, adopt a wireless communication device policy that prohibits pupils
19
from using a wireless communication device during instructional time. A school
20
board may include in the policy under this paragraph consequences for a pupil
21
violating the policy, including confiscating a pupil’s wireless communication device
22
for the remainder of the school day.
AB2,3,1
1
(b) Include all of the following in a policy under par. (a):
AB2,3,4
2
1. That "wireless communication device" means a portable wireless device
3
that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication
4
between 2 or more parties and includes all of the following:
AB2,3,5
5
a. A cellular telephone.
AB2,3,6
6
b. A tablet computer.
AB2,3,7
7
c. A laptop computer.
AB2,3,8
8
d. A gaming device.
AB2,3,9
9
2. Exceptions to the prohibition required under par. (a) for all of the following:
AB2,3,10
10
a. In the event of an emergency or a perceived threat.
AB2,3,11
11
b. To manage the pupil’s health care.
AB2,3,13
12
c. A use included in a pupil’s individualized education program or a plan
13
developed under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
AB2,3,15
14
d. A use authorized by a teacher for educational purposes during instructional
15
time.
AB2,3,17
16
3. Other exceptions to the prohibition required under par. (a) if the school
17
board determines doing so is beneficial to pupil learning or well-being.
AB2,3,18
18
(end)

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