Assembly Bill 778
Requiring the display of the national motto in public schools. (FE)
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Dec 8, 2023
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 15, 2024: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Education. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, this bill requires that the national motto, “In God We Trust,” be displayed in each public school classroom, including charter school classrooms. Under the bill, the display must meet certain requirements, including that 1) the display is at least 11 inches by 14 inches, 2) the display is on a poster, in a framed document, or inscribed on a wall, and 3) the motto is presented in English.
Under current law, each school board and governing body of a private school must display the U.S. flag in the schoolroom or from a flagstaff on the school grounds during the school hours of each school day. Current law also requires each public school to offer the pledge of allegiance or the national anthem each school day in grades one to 12. However, under current law, a pupil may not be compelled to recite the pledge or to sing the anthem against the pupil's objections or the objections of the pupil's parents or guardian.
Who's behind it
12 representatives are its . All 12 are Republicans.
2 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (12)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Ty Bodden · Republican, Assembly
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Gus Gustafson · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Will Penterman · Republican, Assembly
- Nik Rettinger · Republican, Assembly
- Peter Schmidt · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (2)
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Apr 15, 2024
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Jan 11, 2024
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Dec 8, 2023
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Education.
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Dec 8, 2023
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Dec 8, 2023 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Bodden, Gustafson, Behnke, Brandtjen, Goeben, Gundrum, Murphy, Mursau, Penterman, Rettinger, Schmidt and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senators Tomczyk and Nass
- Dec 8, 2023 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Education
- Jan 11, 2024 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 15, 2024 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. 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
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
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
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate