April 3, 2023 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee on Education.
SB199,,22An Act to create 118.335 of the statutes; relating to: pupils wearing traditional tribal regalia at a graduation ceremony or school-sponsored event. SB199,,33Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill is explained in the Notes provided by the Joint Legislative Council in the bill.
SB199,,44The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the Joint Legislative Council’s Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations.
Wisconsin law contains some general protections for a pupil’s religious beliefs, ancestry, creed, race, and national origin. Specifically, schools must provide for the reasonable accommodation of a pupil’s sincerely held religious beliefs with regard to all examinations and other academic requirements. Additionally, no student may be denied participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any curricular, extracurricular, pupil services, recreational, or other program or activity because of race, religion, national origin, ancestry or creed. However, current law does not explicitly address an American Indian student’s right to wear traditional tribal regalia at a graduation ceremony or school-sponsored event.
This bill provides that school boards and charter schools may not prohibit a pupil who is a member of, a descendent of a member of, or eligible to be enrolled in, a federally recognized, whether currently or in the past, American Indian tribe or band from wearing traditional tribal regalia at a graduation ceremony or school-sponsored event. The bill defines “traditional tribal regalia” as a tribe’s traditional dress or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance, including tribal symbols, beads, and feathers.
SB199,15Section 1. 118.335 of the statutes is created to read: SB199,,66118.335 Tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies or school-sponsored events. (1) In this section: SB199,,77(a) “Traditional tribal regalia” means a tribe’s traditional dress or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance, including tribal symbols, beads, and feathers. SB199,,88(b) “Tribe” means a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band or an American Indian tribe or band that was previously a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band. SB199,,99(2) No school board or charter school may prohibit a pupil who is any of the following from wearing traditional tribal regalia at a graduation ceremony or school-sponsored event: SB199,,1010(a) A member of a tribe. SB199,,1111(b) A descendent of a member of a tribe. SB199,,1212(c) Eligible to be enrolled as a member of a tribe.
