Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 16

Relating to: participation in interscholastic athletics and application of the public records and open meetings laws to interscholastic athletic associations.

Open meeting governmental Public record School — Health program

Introduced, completed
Passes Senate, completed
Passes Assembly, stopped here
Governor signs, not reached
Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

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.

Registered lobbying interests · 4

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

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

Passed 4–1 Nov 10, 2025 official source full page

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

Senate: PASSAGE

Passed 22–11 Nov 18, 2025 official source full page

Aye · 22

Nay · 11

Full history

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
Feb 5, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Education
Feb 19, 2025 · Senate
Representative Tusler added as a cosponsor
Nov 4, 2025 · Senate
Public hearing held
Nov 10, 2025 · Senate
Executive action taken
Nov 10, 2025 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 4, Noes 1
Nov 10, 2025 · Senate
Available for scheduling
Nov 13, 2025 · Senate
Senator Stafsholt added as a coauthor
Nov 14, 2025 · Senate
Placed on calendar 11-18-2025 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 22, Noes 11
Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
Nov 18, 2025 · Senate
Read a second time
Nov 19, 2025 · Assembly
Received from Senate
Jan 16, 2026 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
Feb 18, 2026 · Assembly
Made a special order of business at 11:02 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14
Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Read a second time
Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Rules suspended
Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
Feb 19, 2026 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
Feb 23, 2026 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
Mar 26, 2026 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-26-2026
Mar 27, 2026 · Senate
Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-27-2026
May 12, 2026 · Senate
Placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)
May 13, 2026 · Senate
Failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82