Northwoods Reporter

The new bill authored by State Sen. Romaine Robert Quinn in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to secure permanent funding for school safety positions to support ongoing initiatives, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "positions for the Office of School Safety. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill converts 14.2 temporary positions in the Office of School Safety within the Wisconsin Department of Justice into permanent roles beginning Oct. 1, 2025. These positions, initially funded by fees from background checks for handgun sales and concealed weapon permits, will now be financed through general purpose revenue. The intent is to continue supporting and enhancing school safety initiatives beyond the expiration of the existing temporary roles. By securing permanent funding, the bill seeks to ensure the ongoing effectiveness and stability of school safety programs.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Todd Novak (Republican-51st District), Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), Senator Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District), Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District), and Representative Chanz J. Green (Republican-74th District), along 19 other co-sponsors.

Romaine Robert Quinn has authored or co-authored another 13 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Quinn graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay in 2014 with a BA.

Quinn, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 25th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Janet Bewley.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB119	03/07/2025	Positions for the Office of School Safety. (FE)
SB56	02/21/2025	The use of federal capitalization grant funds for lead service line replacement. (FE)
SB41	02/12/2025	School safety grants and making an appropriation. (FE)
SB18	02/05/2025	Changes to the educational assessment program and the school and school district accountability report. (FE)