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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 16

Participation in interscholastic athletics and application of the public records and open meetings laws to interscholastic athletic associations

Topics: Open meeting (Governmental), Public record, School: Health program

Vetoed by the governor

Both chambers passed it, and the governor vetoed it on Mar 27, 2026. Lawmakers did not ⁠, so it stands.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 5, 2025

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 22 to 11

  4. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 19, 2026

  5. Governor, stopped here

    Vetoed Mar 27, 2026.

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, May 13, 2026: “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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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 51. That version died when the session ended.

What it would have done

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

This bill prohibits a school district from being a member of an interscholastic athletic association unless the association elects to be governed by the state’s public records and open meetings laws. An interscholastic athletic association that elects to be governed by the public records and open meetings laws is subject to those laws. Under the bill, an interscholastic athletic association can be either a nonprofit, unincorporated association or a nonstock, nonprofit corporation if the unincorporated association or corporation coordinates athletic events or contests for students enrolled in grades 9 to 12 in public schools. The bill includes exceptions for records of an interscholastic athletic association pertaining to individual referees or individual pupils.

Who's behind it

2 senators are its ⁠. All 2 are Republicans.

13 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 15 names

Authors (2)

Signed on in support (13)

How lawmakers voted

There were 2 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Education vote to recommend it

Passed, 4 to 1 · Nov 10, 2025

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 4, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 22 to 11 · Nov 18, 2025

See how each of the 33 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

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

What happened

  1. May 13, 2026

    The veto stood. Lawmakers didn't override it.

  2. Mar 27, 2026

    The governor vetoed it.

  3. Mar 26, 2026

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 19, 2026

    The Assembly passed it too.

  5. Jan 16, 2026

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  6. Nov 19, 2025

    The Assembly received it.

  7. Nov 18, 2025

    The Senate passed it, 22 to 11.

  8. Nov 13, 2025

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  9. Nov 10, 2025

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 4 to 1.

  10. Nov 4, 2025

    The committee held a public hearing.

  11. Feb 19, 2025

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  12. Feb 5, 2025

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Education.

  13. Feb 5, 2025

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 5, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Tomczyk and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Duchow, Brooks, Callahan, Dittrich, Knodl, Kreibich, Melotik, Nedweski, O'Connor, Pronschinske and Wichgers

  2. Feb 5, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Education

  3. Feb 19, 2025 · Senate

    Representative Tusler added as a cosponsor

  4. Nov 4, 2025 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Nov 10, 2025 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Nov 10, 2025 · Senate

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

  7. Nov 10, 2025 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  8. Nov 13, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Stafsholt added as a coauthor

  9. Nov 14, 2025 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  10. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a second time

  11. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  12. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Rules suspended to give bill its third reading

  13. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 22, Noes 11

  14. Nov 18, 2025 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  15. Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly

    Received from Senate

  16. Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to committee on Rules

  17. Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly

    Made a special order of business at 11:02 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14

  18. Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  19. Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  20. Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  21. Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly

    Read a third time and concurred in

  22. Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  23. Feb 23, 2026 · Senate

    Received from Assembly concurred in

  24. Feb 24, 2026 · Senate

    Report correctly enrolled

  25. Mar 26, 2026 · Senate

    Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2026

  26. Mar 27, 2026 · Senate

    Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-27-2026

  27. May 12, 2026 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)

  28. May 13, 2026 · Senate

    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

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

Roll call

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

Official term: Roll call vote

More in the glossary