AB531: Bill Text

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill provides that, if a school board, operator of an independent charter school, or governing body of a private school, or an institution of higher education (college), issues identification cards to, respectively, pupils or college students, the school board, operator, or governing body, or the college, shall include on the identification card certain contact information for suicide prevention and crisis support hotlines.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

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

AB531,1 Section 1. 39.54 of the statutes is created to read:

AB531,1,6 39.54 Information on student identification cards. (1) Definition. In this section, “institution of higher education" has the meaning given in s. 39.53 (1).

AB531,2,9 (2) Suicide prevention information on identification cards. (a) If an institution of higher education issues identification cards to students, the institution of higher education shall include on each identification card issued to a student the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or, if the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ceases operations, another national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to individuals in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The institution of higher education may also include on the identification card any of the following information:

AB531,2,12 1. A statement that the text-based emotional support service of the Center for Suicide Awareness, Inc., may be accessed by texting HOPELINE to 741741 or, if applicable, by specifying any successor method.

AB531,2,15 2. Instructions for contacting a text-based state or national organization, other than the organization described under subd. 1., that provides free support to individuals in crisis 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

AB531,2,16 3. The telephone number for a local suicide prevention hotline.

AB531,2,19 (b) An institution of higher education may include the information described under par. (a) on student identification cards by printing the information on, or by affixing a sticker that contains the information to, the identification cards.

AB531,2 Section 2. 118.169 (title) of the statutes is created to read:

AB531,2,21 118.169 (title) Pupil identification.

AB531,3 Section 3 . 118.169 of the statutes is renumbered 118.169 (1) and amended to read:

AB531,3,8 118.169 (1) Pupil identification Identification numbers. A school board, and the governing body of a private school, may assign to each pupil enrolled in the school district or private school a unique identification number. The school board or governing body shall may not assign to any pupil an identification number that is identical to or incorporates the pupil's social security number. This section subsection does not prohibit a school board or governing body from requiring a pupil to disclose his or her the pupil's social security number, nor from using a student's pupil's social security number if such the use is required by a federal or state agency or private organization in order for the school district or private school to participate in a particular program.

AB531,4 Section 4. 118.169 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

AB531,3,18 118.169 (2) Identification cards. (a) If a school board, operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), or governing body of a private school issues identification cards to pupils, the school board, operator, or governing body shall include on each identification card issued to a pupil the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or, if the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ceases operations, another national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to individuals in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The school board, operator, or governing body may also include on the identification card any of the following information:

AB531,3,21 1. A statement that the text-based emotional support service of the Center for Suicide Awareness, Inc., may be accessed by texting HOPELINE to 741741 or, if applicable, by specifying any successor method.

AB531,3,24 2. Instructions for contacting a text-based state or national organization, other than the organization described under subd. 1., that provides free support to individuals in crisis 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

AB531,3,25 3. The telephone number for a local suicide prevention hotline.

AB531,4,4 (b) A school board, operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), or governing body of a private school may include the information described under par. (a) on pupil identification cards by printing the information on, or by affixing a sticker that contains the information to, the identification cards.

AB531,5 Section 5 . Nonstatutory provisions.

AB531,4,10 (1) Notwithstanding s. 39.54 (2), if, on the effective date of this subsection, an institution of higher education, as defined in s. 39.54 (1), that issues identification cards to students has a supply of unissued identification cards that do not comply with the requirements under s. 39.54 (2), the institution of higher education may continue issuing identification cards from the supply until the supply is depleted.

AB531,4,16 (2) Notwithstanding s. 118.169 (2), if, on the effective date of this subsection, a school board, operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), or governing body of a private school that issues identification cards to pupils has a supply of unissued identification cards that do not comply with the requirements under s. 118.169 (2), the school board, operator, or governing body may continue issuing identification cards from the supply until the supply is depleted.

AB531,6 Section 6. Initial applicability.

AB531,4,19 (1) The treatment of ss. 39.54 and 118.169 (2) first applies to an identification card issued on the effective date of this subsection.

AB531,7 Section 7. Effective date.

AB531,4,21 (1) This act takes effect on July 1, 2020.

AB531,4,22 (End)