Rachael Cabral-Guevara, Wisconsin State Senator for 19th District | Official website
Rachael Cabral-Guevara, Wisconsin State Senator for 19th District | Official website
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that by July 1, 2026, all school boards adopt policies prohibiting the use of wireless communication devices by students during instructional time. Each school board must define what constitutes a "wireless communication device," including but not limited to cellular phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices. The policies must outline exceptions to this ban, allowing device use in cases of emergencies, for managing health care needs, as part of individualized education plans or 504 plans, and as authorized by teachers for educational purposes. School boards may also introduce additional exceptions if they believe such measures benefit student education or well-being. The bill allows for consequences for policy violations, such as confiscation of the device for the remainder of the school day.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Joel Kitchens (Republican-1st District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), Representative Bob G. Donovan (Republican-61st District), and Representative Chanz J. Green (Republican-74th District), along seven other co-sponsors.
Rachael Cabral-Guevara has authored or co-authored another 13 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Cabral-Guevara graduated from Mount Mary University in 2000 with a BS and again in 2004 from the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh with a BS.
Cabral-Guevara, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 19th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Roger Roth.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB29 | 02/12/2025 | Requiring school boards to adopt policies to prohibit the use of wireless communication devices during instructional time |
| SB27 | 02/07/2025 | Requiring state employees to perform their work at the offices of their employer. (FE) |
| SB19 | 02/05/2025 | Fee waivers for state park vehicle admission receipts to pupils with Every Kid Outdoors passes. (FE) |
| SB13 | 02/03/2025 | Incorporating cursive writing into the state model English language arts standards and requiring cursive writing in elementary grades. (FE) |
| SB12 | 02/03/2025 | A sales and use tax exemption for the sale of gun safes. (FE) |
| SB11 | 02/03/2025 | Allowing representatives of certain federally chartered youth membership organizations to provide information to pupils on public school property |
| SB10 | 02/03/2025 | Access to public high schools for military recruiters |
| SB7 | 01/24/2025 | Prohibiting a foreign adversary from acquiring agricultural or forestry land in this state |
| SB4 | 01/24/2025 | Agreements for direct primary care |
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