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AB948: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5718/1
KMS:ads&wlj
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 948
January 28, 2026 - Introduced by Representatives
Brill
,
Kitchens
,
Dittrich
,
O'Connor
,
Armstrong
,
Donovan
,
Nedweski
,
Piwowarczyk
,
Murphy
,
Wichgers
,
Neylon
and
Knodl
, cosponsored by Senator
Cabral-Guevara
. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB948,1,4
1
An Act
to repeal
120.12 (29);
to amend
115.28 (38), 119.04 (1) and 120.12 (29)
2
(title);
to create
120.12 (30) of the statutes;
relating to:
policies to prohibit
3
the use of wireless communication devices during the school day in public
4
schools.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
2025 Wisconsin Act 42
requires each school board to adopt, by July 1, 2026, a policy that generally prohibits pupils from using wireless communication devices during instructional time. The policy must 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 and must include cellular phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and gaming devices. The policy must include 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 and may include other exceptions if the school board determines that doing so is beneficial for pupil education or well-being.
Beginning on July 1, 2027, this bill replaces that wireless communication device policy requirement with a requirement that each school board adopt a policy that generally prohibits pupils from using wireless communication devices during the school day. Under the bill, “school day” includes instructional time, recess, the time pupils transfer between classes, and the lunch period on each day on which school is in session. The bill generally includes the same requirements and exceptions for wireless communication device policies as Act 42. The bill adds that a wireless communication device policy may include the use of pouches or other storage devices for wireless communication devices or a prohibition on possession of a wireless communication device on school premises.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB948,1
1
Section
1
.
115.28 (38) of the statutes, as created by
2025 Wisconsin Act 4
2, is
2
amended to read:
AB948,2,6
3
115.28
(38)
Prohibited uses of wireless communication devices;
4
policies.
Within 14 days after receiving a policy or updated policy under s. 120.12
5
(29) (d)
or (30) (d)
, submit the policy or updated policy to the office of school safety in
6
the department of justice and the legislative council.
AB948,2
7
Section
2
.
115.28 (38) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act ....
8
(this act), is amended to read:
AB948,2,12
9
115.28
(38)
Prohibited uses of wireless communication devices;
10
policies.
Within 14 days after receiving a policy or updated policy under s. 120.12
11
(29) (d) or
(30) (d), submit the policy or updated policy to the office of school safety in
12
the department of justice and the legislative council.
AB948,3
13
Section
3
.
119.04 (1) of the statutes, as affected by
2025 Wisconsin Acts 42
14
and
79
, is amended to read:
AB948,3,10
15
119.04
(1)
Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121 and ss. 66.0235 (3) (c),
16
66.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343,
17
115.345, 115.363, 115.364, 115.365 (3), 115.366, 115.367, 115.38 (2), 115.415,
1
115.445, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06 to 118.076, 118.10, 118.12, 118.124,
2
118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162, 118.163, 118.164,
3
118.18, 118.19, 118.196, 118.20, 118.223, 118.225, 118.24 (1), (2) (c) to (f), (6), (8),
4
and (10), 118.245, 118.25, 118.255, 118.291, 118.292, 118.293, 118.2935, 118.30 to
5
118.43, 118.46, 118.50, 118.51, 118.52, 118.53, 118.55, 118.56, 118.58, 120.12 (2m),
6
(4m), (5), (15) to (27),
and
(29),
and (30),
120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14),
7
(17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), and (38), 120.137, 120.14, 120.20, 120.21 (3),
8
and 120.25 are applicable to a 1st class city school district and board but not, unless
9
explicitly provided in this chapter or in the terms of a contract, to the commissioner
10
or to any school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program.
AB948,4
11
Section
4
.
119.04 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act ....
12
(this act), is amended to read:
AB948,4,2
13
119.04
(1)
Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121 and ss. 66.0235 (3) (c),
14
66.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343,
15
115.345, 115.363, 115.364, 115.365 (3), 115.366, 115.367, 115.38 (2), 115.415,
16
115.445, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06 to 118.076, 118.10, 118.12, 118.124,
17
118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162, 118.163, 118.164,
18
118.18, 118.19, 118.196, 118.20, 118.223, 118.225, 118.24 (1), (2) (c) to (f), (6), (8),
19
and (10), 118.245, 118.25, 118.255, 118.291, 118.292, 118.293, 118.2935, 118.30 to
20
118.43, 118.46, 118.50, 118.51, 118.52, 118.53, 118.55, 118.56, 118.58, 120.12 (2m),
21
(4m), (5), (15) to (27),
(29),
and (30), 120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to
22
(19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), and (38), 120.137, 120.14, 120.20, 120.21 (3), and
23
120.25 are applicable to a 1st class city school district and board but not, unless
1
explicitly provided in this chapter or in the terms of a contract, to the commissioner
2
or to any school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program.
AB948,5
3
Section
5
.
120.12 (29) (title) of the statutes, as created by 2025 Wisconsin
4
Act 42, is amended to read:
AB948,4,6
5
120.12
(29)
(title)
Prohibited uses of wireless communication devices
6
during instructional time
.
AB948,6
7
Section
6
.
120.12 (29) of the statutes, as affected by 2025 Wisconsin Act ....
8
(this act), is repealed.
AB948,7
9
Section
7
.
120.12 (30) of the statutes is created to read:
AB948,4,21
10
120.12
(30)
Prohibited uses of wireless communication devices during
11
the school day.
(a) By July 1, 2027, adopt a wireless communication device policy
12
that prohibits pupils from using a wireless communication device, other than a
13
school-district-issued wireless communication device, during the school day. A
14
school board may include in the policy under this paragraph a provision for the use
15
of pouches or other on-site storage for wireless communication devices; a
16
prohibition on pupils possessing wireless communication devices on school
17
premises during the school day, notwithstanding par. (b) 2.; or consequences for a
18
pupil violating the policy, including confiscating a pupil’s wireless communication
19
device for the remainder of the school day. In this subsection, “school day” means
20
the scheduled hours of direct pupil instruction, recess, time for pupils to transfer
21
between classes, and lunch period on each day on which school is in session.
AB948,4,22
22
(b) Include all of the following in a policy under par. (a):
AB948,5,2
23
1. That “wireless communication device” means a portable wireless device
1
that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication
2
between 2 or more parties and includes all of the following:
AB948,5,3
3
a. A cellular telephone.
AB948,5,4
4
b. A tablet computer.
AB948,5,5
5
c. A laptop computer.
AB948,5,6
6
d. A gaming device.
AB948,5,7
7
2. Exceptions to the prohibition required under par. (a) for all of the following:
AB948,5,8
8
a. In the event of an emergency or a perceived threat.
AB948,5,9
9
b. To manage the pupil’s health care.
AB948,5,11
10
c. A use included in a pupil’s individualized education program or a plan
11
developed under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
AB948,5,13
12
d. A use authorized by a teacher for educational purposes during instructional
13
time.
AB948,5,15
14
(c) Annually, provide each pupil enrolled in the school district with a copy of
15
the policy under par. (a).
AB948,5,18
16
(d) 1. By no later than October 1, 2027, submit a copy of the policy under par.
17
(a), or if applicable, a policy that is more restrictive than what is required under this
18
subsection, to the department.
AB948,5,22
19
2. By no later than October 1, 2028, and each October 1 thereafter, notify the
20
department of whether changes were made to the policy submitted under this
21
paragraph in the previous school year, and if changes were made, submit the
22
updated policy to the department.
AB948,6,2
23
(e) Nothing in this subsection prohibits a school board from adopting a policy
1
relating to the use or possession of wireless communication devices by pupils that is
2
more restrictive than what is required under this subsection.
AB948,8
3
Section
8
. Effective dates.
This act takes effect on the day after
4
publication, except as follows:
AB948,6,7
5
(
1
)
Use of wireless communication devices during instructional time.
6
The treatment of ss. 115.28 (38) (by
Section
2
) and 119.04 (1) (by
Section
4
) and
7
the repeal of s. 120.12 (29) take effect on July 1, 2027.
AB948,6,8
8
(end)
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