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Bills from the 2021–22 session

Assembly Bill 995

A parental opt-out from face covering requirements in school buildings and on school grounds and requiring school boards to offer pupils a full-time, in-person option. (FE)

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Apr 8, 2022. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 15, 2022

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed 60 to 32

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 19 to 11

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Apr 8, 2022.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 17, 2022: “Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82”

Read the governor's veto message · All vetoes this session

Read the bill

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What it would have done

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

Under this bill, no school board or school district employee may require a pupil to wear a face covering while in school buildings or on school grounds if the pupil's parent notifies the school board or employee that the parent elects to opt out of the requirement on behalf of the pupil. The bill also requires a school board to offer a full-time, in-person option to all pupils enrolled in the school district.

Who's behind it

51 lawmakers are its ⁠. All 51 are Republicans.

9 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 60 names

Authors (51)

Signed on in support (9)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

How lawmakers voted

There were 4 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Education vote to recommend it

Passed, 8 to 5 · Feb 17, 2022

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

Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 8, Noes 5”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 60 to 32 · Feb 22, 2022 · 5 didn't vote

See how each of the 97 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (60)

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Education vote to recommend it

Passed, 4 to 3 · Mar 4, 2022

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

Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 4, Noes 3”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 19 to 11 · Mar 8, 2022 · 3 didn't vote

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Didn't vote (3)

Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. May 17, 2022

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Apr 8, 2022

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Apr 4, 2022

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 8, 2022

    The Senate passed it too, 19 to 11.

  5. Mar 8, 2022

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  6. Mar 4, 2022

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 3.

  7. Mar 2, 2022

    The committee held a public hearing.

  8. Feb 24, 2022

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Education.

  9. Feb 22, 2022

    The Senate received it.

  10. Feb 22, 2022

    The Assembly passed it, 60 to 32.

  11. Feb 21, 2022

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  12. Feb 17, 2022

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  13. Feb 17, 2022

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 5.

  14. Feb 16, 2022

    The committee held a public hearing.

  15. Feb 15, 2022

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Education.

  16. Feb 15, 2022

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 15, 2022 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Vos, Steineke, Petersen, Vorpagel, Duchow, James, Born, Knodl, Cabral-Guevara, Zimmerman, Macco, Steffen, Kitchens, Tranel, Novak, Gundrum, Tusler, Thiesfeldt, Kuglitsch, Ramthun, Brandtjen, Summerfield, Dallman, Katsma, Tittl, Dittrich, J. Rodriguez, Oldenburg, VanderMeer, Magnafici, Edming, Pronschinske, Snyder, Brooks, Schraa, Swearingen, Wittke, Moses, Callahan, Rozar, Skowronski, Sortwell, Krug, Spiros, Tauchen, Plumer, Wichgers, Murphy, Loudenbeck, Behnke and Neylon; cosponsored by Senators Kapenga, Jacque, Jagler, Stafsholt, Stroebel, Testin, LeMahieu and Bernier

  2. Feb 15, 2022 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Education

  3. Feb 16, 2022 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  5. Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 8, Noes 5

  6. Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  7. Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-22-2022 by Committee on Rules

  8. Feb 21, 2022 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  9. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  10. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  11. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  12. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 60, Noes 32, Paired 2

  13. Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  14. Feb 22, 2022 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  15. Feb 24, 2022 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Education

  16. Mar 2, 2022 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  17. Mar 4, 2022 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  18. Mar 4, 2022 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 4, Noes 3

  19. Mar 4, 2022 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  20. Mar 4, 2022 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 3-8-2022 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  21. Mar 8, 2022 · Senate

    Senator Darling added as a cosponsor

  22. Mar 8, 2022 · Senate

    Read a second time

  23. Mar 8, 2022 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  24. Mar 8, 2022 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  25. Mar 8, 2022 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 19, Noes 11

  26. Mar 8, 2022 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  27. Mar 9, 2022 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  28. Mar 10, 2022 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-10-2022

  29. Apr 4, 2022 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-4-2022 by directive of the Speaker

  30. Apr 8, 2022 · Assembly

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 4-8-2022

  31. May 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 5-17-2022 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  32. May 17, 2022 · Assembly

    Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82

Terms on this page

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. 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

Veto override

Lawmakers can still pass a bill the governor vetoed, but it takes two-thirds of each chamber.

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

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate

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