An Act to renumber and amend 62.90 (8); to amend 79.02 (2) (b) and 79.02 (3); to create 62.90 (8) (c), (d) and (e), 79.02 (4) and 115.437 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes; Relating to: the requirement that first class cities and first class city school districts place school resource officers in schools. (FE)
Summary
AB91 would tighten and enforce Wisconsin’s existing requirement that the first-class city school district in Milwaukee have at least 25 school resource officers (SROs) in schools. The bill keeps the underlying mandate in place, including coverage during normal school hours and availability for before- and after-school activities, and it continues the requirement that SROs complete the National Association of School Resource Officers’ 40-hour training course. It also directs the district to consider school safety statistics when deciding where to place officers beginning in the 2025-26 school year.
The bill adds a new implementation framework between Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and the City of Milwaukee. The city and district would have to enter into an agreement on how to comply with the SRO requirement, and both would have to certify compliance to the Joint Committee on Finance. If the agreement ends, the bill imposes a new timeline for replacing it and for re-certifying that trained officers are available and present in schools. AB91 also assigns costs by statute, requiring 75 percent of compliance costs to be borne by MPS and 25 percent by the city.
Impact
AB91 amends the statutes governing first-class city school districts, municipal aid, and per-pupil school aid. It creates enforceable deadlines and reporting obligations for MPS and the City of Milwaukee, and it authorizes the Department of Administration to withhold 10 percent of certain supplemental municipal aid if the city does not comply, while the Department of Public Instruction must withhold 20 percent of certain per-pupil categorical aid if MPS does not comply. The bill therefore converts the SRO requirement from a general mandate into one backed by financial penalties and state oversight through certification to the Joint Committee on Finance.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been supported by a majority in the Assembly, passing 53-44 and with the decision of the chair upheld by the same margin. The available record shows no committee transcript, but the structure of the bill and the vote suggest it was treated as a significant enforcement measure rather than a routine technical change. The later status indicates it did not ultimately become law, as it failed to concur pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1.
Contention
The main point of contention is the underlying requirement that Milwaukee Public Schools place and maintain at least 25 school resource officers in schools, which has already been the subject of litigation and a court order. Supporters of AB91 appear to favor stronger enforcement, deadlines, and fiscal consequences to ensure compliance, while opponents likely object to the mandate itself, the state-imposed funding penalties, or the division of responsibility between the city and the school district. The bill also raises practical disputes over who should pay for the officers, how quickly compliance can be achieved, and whether withholding aid is an appropriate enforcement tool.
Crossfiled
An Act to renumber and amend 62.90 (8); to amend 79.02 (2) (b) and 79.02 (3); to create 62.90 (8) (c), (d) and (e), 79.02 (4) and 115.437 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes; Relating to: the requirement that first class cities and first class city school districts place school resource officers in schools. (FE)
Elections; city, town, and school district general elections required to be conducted on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of an even-numbered year; cities of the first class permitted to choose to conduct a general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of either an odd-numbered or even-numbered year; and cities, towns, and school districts required to adopt an orderly transition plan.
School aid: local districts; grant program for school districts to maintain smaller classroom sizes; provide for. Amends 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1601 - 388.1896) by adding sec. 31c.
A bill for an act relating to the discipline of students who exhibit disorderly conduct in the classroom and who are enrolled in school districts, charter schools, or innovation zone schools.(See HF 2538.)
Increasing fiscal resources for students and children by providing targeted sales tax exemptions for schools and certain before-and-after school care programs and arts and cultural classes.
City, town, and school district general elections required to be conducted on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of an even-numbered year; cities of the first class permitted to choose between even-numbered or odd-numbered year; and orderly transition plans required.
Consideration of a certain definition of antisemitism for purposes of laws, ordinances, policies, or criminal penalty enhancers concerning discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin.