Use restrictions on state and local government electronic devices, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-1272/1
MPG:skw

2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 415
September 15, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Knodl, Gustafson, Dittrich, Duchow, Goeben, Gundrum, Melotik, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk and Tittl, cosponsored by Senators Cabral-Guevara, Bradley and Nass. Referred to Committee on Science, Technology, and AI.

An Act to create 20.932 of the statutes; relating to: use restrictions on state and local government electronic devices.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this bill, no official, employee, or contractor of a state agency or local governmental unit, other than a law enforcement officer for law enforcement purposes, may use an electronic device that is owned, operated, or leased by a state agency or local governmental unit to do any of the following:
1. Download, use, or access a web-based or other social media application, channel, or platform that is owned or operated by an entity located in a foreign country of concern.
2. Use any software, software application, or artificial intelligence tool or algorithm that is owned or operated by an entity located in a foreign country of concern.
Under the bill a “foreign country of concern” is a country designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce as a foreign adversary of the United States. Those countries currently include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela under the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
In addition to law enforcement officers as noted above, the bill provides and exemption for an official, employee, or contractor of a state agency or local governmental unit who obtains a written waiver from the secretary of administration for limited purposes related to the performance of their duties. The secretary of administration may issue such waivers at his or her discretion.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. 20.932 of the statutes is created to read:
20.932 Use restrictions of state and local government electronic devices. (1) Definitions. In this section:
(a) “Foreign country of concern” means a foreign adversary designated under 15 CFR 791.4.
(b) “Local governmental unit” means a political subdivision, a special purpose district, an agency or corporation of a political subdivision or special purpose district, a school district, or a combination or subunit of any of the foregoing, in this state.
(c) “State agency” means an association, authority, board, department, commission, independent agency, institution, system, office, society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law.
(2) Use restrictions. (a) No official, employee, or contractor of a state agency or local governmental unit, other than a law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 967.02 (5), for law enforcement purposes, may do any of the following using an electronic device that is owned, operated, or leased by a state agency or local governmental unit:
1. Download, use, or access a web-based or other social media application,
channel, or platform that is owned or operated by an entity located in a foreign country of concern.
2. Use any software, software application, or artificial intelligence tool or algorithm that is owned or operated by an entity located in a foreign country of concern.
(b) The prohibitions under par. (a) 1. and 2. do not apply to an official, employee, or contractor of a state agency or local governmental unit who obtains a written waiver from the secretary of administration for limited purposes related to the performance of the duties of the official, employee, or contractor. The secretary of administration may issue such waivers at the secretary’s discretion.
(end)