MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin State Assembly on Tuesday approved legislation requiring schools to establish clear standards governing communication between staff and students and to provide annual training on grooming behaviors and professional boundary violations.

The bill, Senate Bill 673, was authored by State Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R–Pleasant Prairie, and passed the Assembly on a 92-7 vote. It now heads to Gov. Tony Evers for consideration .

Under the legislation, schools must adopt formal policies outlining appropriate communication between employees and students. The bill also mandates annual training for staff focused on recognizing grooming behaviors and maintaining professional boundaries.

“Parents entrust our schools with their children every single day, but sadly, there are a growing number of adults who betray that trust and use their positions to prey on vulnerable kids,” Nedweski said following passage of the bill . She said the measure is designed to ensure schools are proactive in preventing inappropriate communications and boundary violations while also protecting educators who serve with integrity.

The proposal builds on earlier bipartisan legislation that created a criminal definition of grooming in Wisconsin. According to Nedweski, the bill responds to an increase in cases statewide involving inappropriate communications between school staff and students, often through text messaging and social media platforms .

Nedweski noted that advances in technology have changed how educators interact with students, allowing more direct communication outside school hours. While most educators use those tools responsibly, she said some cases have involved staff contacting students via text or social media without a parent’s knowledge, which in certain instances has escalated into grooming or other forms of sexual misconduct .

The legislation allows local school districts flexibility in implementing the requirements. Schools may use free training modules provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction or develop their own materials, so long as they meet the bill’s standards .

During committee debate, some Democratic lawmakers argued that the term “grooming” constitutes hate speech. Nedweski rejected that characterization, stating the legislation is not an attack on teachers or any individual based on sexual orientation and that grooming is a documented tactic used by predators to manipulate children .

Nedweski represents Wisconsin’s 32nd Assembly District, which includes parts of Kenosha County and western Kenosha County communities such as Pleasant Prairie, Salem Lakes, Twin Lakes and Paddock Lake .