Senate Bill 53
Requiring the display of the national motto in public schools and on public buildings. (FE)
Topics: Public building, School: Building, School: Charter school, Symbols, National
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Feb 21, 2025
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Senate vote, not reached
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs. The committee's chair at the time was Chris Kapenga. Chairs decide which bills get a hearing. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 56. That version died when the session ended.
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.
This bill requires, within 6 months of the effective date of the bill, that each public building in this state display the national motto, “In God We Trust,” in a location that is visible to the public if the building is open to the public, and in a location where notices for employees are regularly posted if it is a building that is not open to the public.
Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the bill also requires that the national motto, “In God We Trust,” be displayed in each public school classroom, including charter school classrooms. 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.
Read the full summary Show less
Under the bill, the required displays in both public buildings and public schools must 1) be at least 11 inches by 14 inches, 2) be on a poster, in a framed document, or inscribed on a wall, and 3) be presented in English in a legible font.
Who's behind it
2 senators are its . All 2 are Republicans.
11 more lawmakers .
See all 13 names Hide the names
Authors (2)
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Cory Tomczyk · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (11)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Lindee Brill · Republican, Assembly
- Joy Goeben · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Gus Gustafson · Republican, Assembly
- Dan Knodl · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Kreibich · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Paul Tittl · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Feb 26, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Feb 21, 2025
Sent to the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
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Feb 21, 2025
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 21, 2025 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Tomczyk and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Goeben, Gustafson, Behnke, Brill, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Murphy, Tittl, Tusler and Wichgers
- Feb 21, 2025 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs
- Feb 26, 2025 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
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