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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

AB 2

Became law Official bill text Atom feed

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

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  1. Introduced, completed
  2. Passes Assembly, completed
  3. Passes Senate, completed
  4. Governor signs, completed
  5. Law, completed

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan 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.

Sponsors

Introduced by: B. Jacobson (R) , Dittrich (R) , Donovan (R) , Green (R) , Kitchens (R) , Knodl (R) , Melotik (R) , Murphy (R) , Mursau (R) , Nedweski (R) , O'Connor (R) , Steffen (R) , Tusler (R)

2 cosponsors

Cabral-Guevara (R) , Feyen (R)

Registered lobbying interests · 14

Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record

Votes

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

Passed 4–2 Feb 17, 2025 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

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

Passed 4–2 Feb 17, 2025 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Assembly: PASSAGE

Passed 53–45 Feb 19, 2025 official source full page

Aye · 53

Nay · 45

Not voting · 1

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

Passed 4–1 Apr 11, 2025 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Senate: CONCURRENCE

Passed 29–4 Oct 14, 2025 official source full page

Full history

  1. Feb 3, 2025 · Assembly

    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

  2. Feb 3, 2025 · Assembly

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

  3. Feb 11, 2025 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  4. Feb 12, 2025 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kitchens

  5. Feb 13, 2025 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  6. Feb 17, 2025 · Assembly

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

  7. Feb 17, 2025 · Assembly

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

  8. Feb 17, 2025 · Assembly

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

  9. Feb 18, 2025 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kitchens

  10. Feb 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  11. Feb 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  12. Feb 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  13. Feb 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  14. Feb 19, 2025 · Assembly

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

  15. Feb 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  16. Feb 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  17. Feb 20, 2025 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  18. Feb 21, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Education

  19. Mar 13, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  20. Apr 11, 2025 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  21. Apr 11, 2025 · Senate

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

  22. Apr 11, 2025 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  23. Oct 13, 2025 · Senate

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

  24. Oct 14, 2025 · Senate

    Read a second time

  25. Oct 14, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  26. Oct 14, 2025 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  27. Oct 14, 2025 · Senate

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

  28. Oct 14, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  30. Oct 20, 2025 · Assembly

    LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1)

  31. Oct 20, 2025 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 10-20-2025

  32. Oct 29, 2025 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 10-29-2025

  33. Oct 31, 2025 · Assembly

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

  34. Oct 31, 2025 · Assembly

    Published 11-1-2025