Lawmakers approve bill mandating cell phone ban in schools

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Lawmakers in both chambers of the state Capitol on Tuesday considered dozens of bills in hours of floor sessions.

One bill approved by lawmakers, and now on its way to the Governor’s desk, has popular support. 

Assembly Bill 2 requires school boards to prohibit students from using wireless communication devices — cell phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices — during instructional time. 

The bill requires that school boards adopt a policy banning those devices by July 1, 2026.

The bill has exemptions for using devices during emergencies, for individualized education plans, or authorized uses by a teacher.

“Our kids are missing out because they’re distracted by their phones,” says Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevera, Republican from Appleton.

She points out that even for lawmakers, during their own floor session where phones are prohibited, phones are a distraction.

She also points to a recent Marquette Law School Poll that found overwhelming support for curbing phone use.

In the June survey of registered voters, 89 percent of voters said they would support banning phones during classes for middle and high school students.

72 percent supported banning cell phones throughout the school day, including between lunch and between classes.

Roughly 90 percent of districts report that they already have some kind of restrictive cell phone policy in place, according to the Department of Public Instruction.

“Many district leaders, educators and community members favor district-specific policies instead of state-wide mandates, reflecting Wisconsin’s long-held belief in local control. Many also suggest that the DPI offer model policies, best practices, and research to support local decisionmaking,” according to testimony submitted in February by Josh Robinson, Assistant State Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction.

A number of groups have registered lobbying hours on the bill.

 Democrat Melissa Ratcliff of Cottage Grove spoke against the bill yesterday. She says while she understands its intent, it’s a step back in ensuring safety during a lockdown.

She also objects that the bill interferes with local control — mandating action from school districts rather than letting them decide on their own.

The bill passed the state Senate yesterday by a vote of 29 to 4, and it passed the state Assembly back in February. It now heads to Governor Evers’ desk. 

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