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AB 947

Relating to: expanding the Office of School Safety to cover technical colleges and campus safety plans for technical colleges. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Donovan and 5 co-sponsors

Expands Wisconsin’s Office of School Safety to include technical colleges and requires standardized campus safety plans for those campuses.

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
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Bill Summary · AB 947

Summary of Assembly Bill 947 (AB 947) – Wisconsin, 2025 Session

Title

Relating to: expanding the Office of School Safety to cover technical colleges and campus safety plans for technical colleges. (FE)

Purpose and Intent

  • Expand the scope of Wisconsin’s Office of School Safety (OSS) to include technical colleges (often referred to as technical or vocational colleges) within its coverage.
  • Require or facilitate the development, submission, or standards for campus safety plans specifically for technical colleges.
  • Align safety governance, planning, and oversight for technical college campuses with existing school safety frameworks used for K-12 districts and other postsecondary settings.

Key Provisions (as inferred from title and related bill history)

  • Expansion of OSS authority: The bill would broaden the Office of School Safety’s remit to technical colleges, extending duties such as safety coordination, threat assessment, incident reporting, training, and risk mitigation to those campuses.
  • Campus safety plans for technical colleges: The legislation would require the creation, adoption, or standardized content of campus safety plans for technical colleges. These plans typically cover:
    • Hazard identification and risk assessment
    • Alarm, communication, and emergency response procedures
    • Collaboration with local law enforcement and first responders
    • Crisis response drills and exercises
    • Mental health resources and student support mechanisms
    • Physical security measures and access control
    • Training requirements for staff and students
  • Possible compliance framework: Entities covered (technical colleges and their governing bodies) would need to align with OSS guidance, timelines, and reporting requirements, ensuring consistency with existing safety protocols across Wisconsin’s education system.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Technical colleges within Wisconsin that operate under state oversight.
  • Administrative leadership and safety officers at technical colleges responsible for campus security and emergency preparedness.
  • Local law enforcement and first responders who coordinate with campus safety plans.
  • Students, faculty, and staff at technical colleges who participate in safety trainings and drills.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Legislative status: Introduced January 28, 2026; read first time and referred to the Committee on Colleges and Universities. Sponsorship includes multiple representatives and a co-sponsor senator.
  • Legislative progress noted: Action history includes possible consideration or passage attempts (as of an entry) with references to Senate Joint Resolution 1 pathway in February 2026 when tracking process notes show a failed passage attempt under that resolution mechanism.
  • Co-authors/Sponsors: A cross-chamber group of representatives (Donovan, Melotik, O’Connor, Stubbs, Tusler, Wichgers) and Senator Wanggaard as a cosponsor; additional co-sponsors listed.

Potential Impacts

  • Standardization: Promotes uniform safety planning standards across technical colleges, facilitating consistent response protocols and regulatory compliance.
  • Resource allocation: May require technical colleges to invest in safety planning resources, staff training, and potential security enhancements to meet OSS expectations.
  • Coordination: Strengthens collaboration with law enforcement, emergency management, and local municipalities for campus safety operations.
  • Educational integrity and safety culture: By formalizing safety plans, campuses could improve preparedness and student/staff confidence in crisis response.

Notes for Readers

  • Specific statutory language, funding implications, and detailed requirements would be clarified in the bill’s text released by the Legislature and any fiscal notes from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
  • The bill’s progression may depend on committee action and legislative negotiations; as of the latest update, it is in early committee consideration with multiple sponsors.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to focus on particular stakeholders (e.g., administrators, policymakers, or students) or compare it to existing OSS provisions affecting K-12 districts.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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