Wisconsin lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would prohibit students from using cell phones throughout the entire school day, with Assembly Bill 948 clearing a Senate committee vote.
The bill passed the Senate Committee on Education 4-1 and now moves to the full Senate for consideration. If approved, the measure would head to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, with the statewide ban set to take effect July 1, 2027.
Current Law and Proposed Changes
Wisconsin currently requires school districts to adopt policies limiting cell phone use during instructional time by July 1. The existing law still permits students to use phones during lunch, passing periods, and other non-instructional times.
Rep. Linda Brill, a Republican from Sheboygan Falls, said the partial ban has created unintended consequences in schools. “Now they’re late to classes, they’re taking 15-minute bathroom breaks, kids aren’t talking at lunch, there’s actually a term for it called silent lunch,” Brill said, noting students spend lunch periods on their phones rather than communicating with peers.
Support From School Leaders
Sen. John Jagler, a Republican from Watertown, said superintendents in his district requested a statewide mandate rather than leaving decisions to individual districts. “They were too cowardly to do it themselves,” Jagler said of school administrators who preferred a state-level requirement.
The bill includes exceptions for students who require phones for special education services under an individual education plan. School districts would determine disciplinary consequences for violations.
Opposition and Alternative Proposals
Sen. Chris Larson, a Democrat from Milwaukee, cast the committee’s only opposing vote, arguing lawmakers should focus on limiting social media access instead. “I feel like we already took a kick at the cell phone ban and pushing for the schools to go in that direction. I’m just curious why we’re not trying to limit social media access to youth because of the damage,” Larson said.
Rep. Brill indicated the legislative task force is considering additional online safety measures, including bills addressing social media and increased funding for the Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
Implementation Details
Lawmakers have discussed including funding in the next state budget to purchase cell phone pouches for schools, which would cost approximately $20 to $30 each and keep devices locked and unusable throughout the school day.
The Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators registered opposition to the measure, while the American Diabetes Association registered support. The Assembly previously passed the bill on the final day of its session.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Digital team contributed to this report.
