Overview
- Gov. Tony Evers signed 2025 Wisconsin Act 42, making the state the 36th to restrict student cellphone use in schools.
- The law requires every public school board to adopt policies prohibiting student phone use during instructional time, with compliance due by July 1, 2026.
- Exceptions allow use during emergencies or perceived threats, for health needs, as specified in a student’s IEP, or for teacher-authorized educational purposes, and school-issued devices are exempt.
- The Republican-authored measure passed with some bipartisan support, while several Democrats argued other priorities such as gun violence should take precedence.
- Most Wisconsin districts already limited phones in class, and the new statute aligns the state with a fast-growing national trend that expanded in 17 states and Washington, D.C., this school year after Florida’s 2023 law.