Equipment of school buses with audiovisual recording devices, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-4089/1
ZDW:cdc

2025 SENATE BILL 391
August 25, 2025 - Introduced by Senators James and Nass, cosponsored by Representatives Penterman, Dittrich, Steffen, Gundrum, Subeck, Mursau, Kreibich, Ortiz-Velez, Goodwin and Knodl. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government.

An Act to create 347.446 of the statutes; relating to: equipment of school buses with audiovisual recording devices.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill authorizes equipping a school bus with a device for recording audio or video, or both, of the interior of the school bus while in use to transport pupils. A bus may be so equipped if the school board adopts a policy authorizing such equipment and if notice of the policy is provided to pupils and their parents or guardians and posted on the interior of the bus. Recordings made as authorized under the bill are confidential and may be used by only school officials and law enforcement personnel for investigations, school disciplinary actions, and criminal prosecutions related to incidents occurring in or around the bus.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 347.446 of the statutes is created to read:
347.446 Audiovisual recording on school buses. (1) Subject to sub. (2), a school bus may be equipped with a device for recording audio or video, or both, of
the interior of the school bus while the school bus is being used to transport pupils to and from school and school-sponsored activities.
(2) Subsection (1) applies only if the applicable school board adopts a policy authorizing audiovisual recording on school buses and notice of the policy is provided to pupils and their parents or guardians and clearly posted on the interior of the school bus.
(3) Recordings made as authorized under this section shall remain confidential and may be used by only school officials and law enforcement personnel for investigations, school disciplinary actions, and criminal prosecutions related to incidents occurring in or around the bus.
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