Skip to content
Bills from the 2013–14 session

Assembly Bill 297

The use of race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names by school boards

Became law

The governor signed it on Dec 19, 2013. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Aug 23, 2013

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Oct 15, 2013

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 17 to 16

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2013 Wisconsin Act 115

Latest entry in the official record, Dec 19, 2013: “Published 12-20-2013”

Read the bill

Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.

What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, a school district resident may object to a school board's use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name by filing a complaint with the state superintendent of public instruction. If a complaint is received, the state superintendent must schedule a hearing to determine whether the use of the race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name promotes discrimination, pupil harassment, or stereotyping. If the state superintendent finds that the use of the race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name promotes discrimination, pupil harassment, or stereotyping, the state superintendent must order the school board to terminate its use of the nickname, logo, mascot, or team name within 12 months after issuance of the order. However, the state superintendent may extend the amount of time a school board has to comply with an order to terminate the use of a nickname, logo, mascot, or team name under certain circumstances. A school board that uses a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name in violation of an order is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each day that it violates the order.

This bill eliminates the procedure for objecting to and ordering the termination of a school board's use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name.

Read the full summary

Additionally, under the bill, a school district does not have to comply with an existing order to terminate the use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name.

Who's behind it

20 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 20 are Republicans.

6 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 26 names

Authors (20)

Signed on in support (6)

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 9 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing vote on an amendment

Passed, 7 to 4 · Oct 9, 2013

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing, Ayes 7, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing vote to recommend it

Passed, 7 to 4 · Oct 9, 2013

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing, Ayes 7, Noes 4”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 52 to 41 · Oct 15, 2013 · 1 didn't vote

See how each of the 94 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (52)

No (41)

Didn't vote (1)

Official motion: “Read a third time and passed, Ayes 52, Noes 41, Paired 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote

Failed, 38 to 57 · Oct 15, 2013

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Refused to refer to committee on Education, Ayes 38, Noes 57”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Nov 4, 2013

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 17 to 16 · Nov 5, 2013

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 17, Noes 16”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote on an amendment

Passed, 17 to 16 · Nov 5, 2013

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Senate Substitute Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 17, Noes 16”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Failed, 15 to 18 · Nov 5, 2013

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Refused to refer to committee on State and Federal Relations, Ayes 15, Noes 18”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 17 to 16 · Nov 5, 2013

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 17, Noes 16”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Dec 19, 2013

    The new law was published.

  2. Dec 19, 2013

    The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 115.

  3. Dec 12, 2013

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Nov 5, 2013

    The Senate passed it too, 17 to 16.

  5. Nov 4, 2013

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  6. Oct 22, 2013

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  7. Oct 15, 2013

    The Senate received it.

  8. Oct 15, 2013

    The Assembly passed it, 52 to 41.

  9. Oct 15, 2013

    The Assembly adopted it.

  10. Oct 9, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  11. Oct 9, 2013

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 7 to 4.

  12. Oct 9, 2013

    “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing, Ayes 7, Noes 4” (the official wording)

  13. Oct 3, 2013

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Sep 26, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing.

  15. Aug 23, 2013

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Urban and Local Affairs.

  16. Aug 23, 2013

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Aug 23, 2013 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Nass, Craig, Kaufert, Jacque, Tittl, Kramer, Knodl, Ballweg, Sanfelippo, Petersen, Loudenbeck, August, Pridemore, Weatherston, Kuglitsch, Ripp, Schraa, Stroebel, Murphy and LeMahieu; cosponsored by Senators Lazich, Kedzie, Farrow, Ellis, Olsen and Grothman

  2. Aug 23, 2013 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Urban and Local Affairs

  3. Sep 26, 2013 · Assembly

    Withdrawn from committee on Urban and Local Affairs and referred to committee on Government Operations and State Licensing pursuant to Assembly Rule 42 (3)(c)

  4. Sep 27, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representatives Nass, Craig and Vos

  5. Oct 3, 2013 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  6. Oct 9, 2013 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  7. Oct 9, 2013 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  8. Oct 9, 2013 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Government Operations and State Licensing, Ayes 7, Noes 4

  9. Oct 9, 2013 · Assembly

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  10. Oct 10, 2013 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 10-15-2013 by Committee on Rules

  11. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar of 10-15-2013 following Assembly Bill 389

  12. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  13. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Refused to refer to committee on Education, Ayes 38, Noes 57

  14. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  15. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  16. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  17. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 52, Noes 41, Paired 2

  18. Oct 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  19. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  20. Oct 15, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senators Schultz and Miller

  21. Oct 16, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Shilling, Lehman, Miller, T. Cullen, C. Larson, Lassa, Hansen, Jauch, Carpenter, L. Taylor, Vinehout and Harris

  22. Oct 22, 2013 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  23. Oct 22, 2013 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  24. Nov 4, 2013 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0

  25. Nov 4, 2013 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-5-2013 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  26. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Read a second time

  27. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Substitute Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 17, Noes 16

  28. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 17, Noes 16

  29. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Refused to refer to committee on State and Federal Relations, Ayes 15, Noes 18

  30. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  31. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  32. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 17, Noes 16

  33. Nov 5, 2013 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  34. Nov 6, 2013 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  35. Nov 11, 2013 · Assembly

    LRB correction (Assembly Substitute Amendment 1)

  36. Nov 15, 2013 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 11-15-2013

  37. Dec 12, 2013 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 12-12-2013

  38. Dec 19, 2013 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 12-19-2013. 2013 Wisconsin Act 115

  39. Dec 19, 2013 · Assembly

    Published 12-20-2013

Terms on this page

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Wisconsin Act

The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.

Official term: Act

More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary