This bill creates a state-funded mentorship program to support beginning music, art, and performing arts teachers in Wisconsin. It appropriates $50,000 for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years to contract with a nonprofit organization to pair experienced mentors with new teachers. The program provides classroom guidance, resources, conference support, and materials to help new teachers succeed and prepare students for performances. The nonprofit must match the state funding and provide quarterly reports on program activities and expenses.
This bill establishes a $1 million annual grant program to help school districts install or upgrade emergency notification systems that are accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The funding, allocated for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 fiscal years, is intended to cover the costs of making emergency alert systems compatible with needs of students who cannot hear traditional alarms. Under the legislation, the Department of Public Instruction can award grants to eligible school districts, but the amount awarded cannot exceed what the district actually spent on the installation or upgrade. The bill creates new statutory provisions in the Wisconsin statutes to authorize and regulate this specific grant program.
This bill prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression in Wisconsin public schools and private schools that receive state funding through parental choice or scholarship programs. It requires these schools to adopt written policies for handling discrimination complaints and mandates that schools admitting only one sex must still allow students whose gender identity aligns with that sex. The legislation also adds gender identity and gender expression to the list of protected characteristics for hiring teachers and administrative staff, while allowing religious schools to decline instruction in religions other than their own. Additionally, the bill establishes penalties of up to $1,000 for officials who intentionally discriminate against students or staff in violation of these provisions.
This bill requires school districts in Wisconsin to ensure teachers have at least 45 minutes of daily self-directed preparation time, equivalent to one full class period. The provision applies to teachers covered by collective bargaining agreements or contracts, taking effect when those agreements expire or are modified. The legislation amends existing state statutes to mandate this preparation time as part of teachers' daily schedules.
This bill prohibits vaping on all public and private school property, including classrooms, playgrounds, and athletic facilities. It defines electronic smoking devices broadly to include e-cigarettes, vape pens, and similar products, regardless of whether they contain nicotine. The law applies to students, staff, and visitors on school grounds and allows schools or local governments to adopt even stricter rules if they choose.
This bill prohibits unfair pricing on food and beverages sold at publicly funded stadiums in the state. It directly affects stadium owners, operators, and concessionaires who sell items to fans at these venues. The law defines a stadium as a large facility with at least 3,000 seats that receives public financial support, while excluding schools and tribal schools from the restriction. Under the new rules, concessionaires cannot charge more than the retail cost of food or drinks plus a 20 percent markup. Selling items at higher prices would be classified as an unfair trade practice.
This bill creates a new section in state statutes to regulate how online services collect and use personal data from minors under 18 years old. It applies to businesses that operate online services in the state, earn most of their revenue from those services, and are likely to be accessed by minors. The law requires covered businesses to implement age-appropriate design features, restrict the collection of sensitive data like biometric and genetic information from minors, and prevent compulsive use patterns that disrupt a minor's daily activities. The bill also grants the state rule-making authority to establish specific standards for how these protections should be implemented and enforced.
This bill would ban the sale and distribution of products containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals, starting with specific categories like food packaging, cookware, and children's products by January 1, 2032, and expanding to all products by January 1, 2038, unless the chemical use is deemed unavoidable for public health or safety. Manufacturers would be required to submit detailed information about their PFAS-containing products to the state department, and the department could require testing to verify compliance. The law includes exemptions for products regulated by federal law, firefighting foam, used products, and medical devices, and imposes a penalty of $100 per violating product for each day the violation continues.
This bill would authorize Wisconsin to join an interstate compact that implements a national popular vote system for electing the president and vice president, but it only takes effect once enough states have joined to control a majority of electoral votes. Under the agreement, member states would still hold traditional statewide elections, but they would award all their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the most total votes nationwide rather than the winner of their individual state. The bill also includes provisions for handling ties, certifying results, and allowing states to withdraw from the compact with certain restrictions. This legislation does not change the current Electoral College system itself but creates a legal framework for states to participate in an alternative election method if sufficient states agree to join the compact.
This bill proposes to update the list of acceptable student identification cards for voting in Wisconsin. It would allow unexpired student IDs from accredited universities, colleges, and technical colleges in the state to be used at polling places. The ID must include the issuance date, signature, and an expiration date no later than two years after issuance, provided the student is currently enrolled. The legislation aims to clarify which student credentials qualify for voter identification purposes.
This bill proposes constitutional changes to give voters the power to directly reject laws passed by the legislature and to propose new laws or constitutional amendments themselves. Under the referendum provision, citizens could collect signatures equal to at least 4% of the last gubernatorial vote to force a vote on rejecting specific legislation, with rejected laws barred from being reenacted during the same session. The initiative provision would allow voters to propose laws or amendments by gathering signatures equal to 6% for laws or 8% for constitutional changes, with proposed measures limited to a single subject and requiring a 120-day waiting period before elections. The bill also prohibits payments based on the number of petition signatures collected and would require any approved initiative laws to be protected from legislative repeal for two years, with stricter rules for constitutional amendments.
This bill would require election officials to exclude candidates from federal ballots if there is conclusive evidence that the candidate is ineligible under the U.S. Constitution to hold the office. It directly affects election administrators and candidates for president, vice president, and other national offices by mandating that they verify constitutional eligibility before allowing names on ballots. The law specifies that ineligibility must be clear through candidate admission or other conclusive proof, and it prevents presidential electors from voting for candidates who are constitutionally ineligible. The bill creates new statutory sections to codify these requirements in state election laws.
