AB 2 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

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

AB 2 requires Wisconsin school boards to adopt policies banning student use of wireless communication devices (like cell phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices) during instructional time, effective July 1, 2026. The policy must define "wireless communication device," include specific exceptions for emergencies, health needs, individualized education programs, and teacher-approved educational use, and allow boards to add other learning-focused exceptions. It directly affects school boards, which must create and implement these policies, while students are the primary group subject to the restrictions. The bill does not mandate device confiscation but permits it as a consequence for violations.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Assembly Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Oct 2025
Signed into Law
Oct 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Signed Oct 31, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Oct 14, 2025 · Assembly Feb 19, 2025

How they voted

304
Passed
Total votes 34
Oct 14, 2025
D Democratic16
12 Yea 4 Nay
75% Yea
R Republican18
18 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
34
Key actions
8
Committee
3
Amendments
5
Oct 31, 2025
Signed into law
Report approved by the Governor on 10-31-2025. 2025 Wisconsin Act 42
lower
Oct 20, 2025
Introduced
LRB correction (Assembly Amendment 1)
lower
Oct 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 29, Noes 4
upper
Apr 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 4, Noes 1
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read a third time and passed, Ayes 53, Noes 45
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 to Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kitchens
lower
Feb 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Science, Technology, and AI, Ayes 4, Noes 2
lower
Feb 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Science, Technology, and AI, Ayes 4, Noes 2
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Introduced
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Kitchens
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
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
lower
13 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors