Wis. Department of Justice Office of School Safety (OSS) funding bill signed into law

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Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed Assembly Bill 1050 into law Wednesday, providing bridge funding for the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Office of School Safety (OSS) to continue its work supporting school safety around the state of Wisconsin through September 2025.

“The Office of School Safety’s proactive and collaborative approach is helping keep kids safe when they’re at school,” said Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul.

“While there is still work to do to fund the Office of School Safety’s services for the long term, the enactment of this legislation is a critical step forward, Kaul added.

Evers said he was pleased to see both parties working together in the best interest of Wisconsin’s public safety.

“I’m glad that we were able to reach a bipartisan consensus to fund these additional positions so the Office of School Safety can continue their current operations, help prevent school violence, and keep our kids safe, including through the Speak Up, Speak Out tipline, which provides an important resource for kids, families, educators, and staff alike,” said Evers.

According to officials, the office’s tip line has attracted national attention as it has received more than 11,000 contacts, resulting in opportunities to intervene early, assist youth and prevent violence.

Authorities noted SUSO provides a trusted avenue for students, parents and community members to contribute to the safety of their schools. Students have used SUSO to seek help for the wellness and safety of themselves or others, reporting concerns such as potential threats of violence, concerns of planned school attacks, incidents of weapons, bullying, suicidal ideation, depression and self-harm.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the OSS was created in 2018 to keep students safe at school and has become a critical resource for students, teachers, school administrators and communities throughout Wisconsin, with the intent to prevent violence in schools and respond quickly to promote recovery, should events occur.

The short-term, “bridge funding” will provide the state an opportunity to provide stable, ongoing funding for the OSS as part of the 2025-2027 biennial budget.

As previously reported by the Wisconsin Law Journal, earlier in March, the Wisconsin Senate voted to continue funding the Office of School Safety (OSS), prompting immediate praise from Kaul, who had long been advocating for funds.

Kaul complimented Republican and Democrat legislators in both houses who passed the measure earlier this month.

“Our Office of School Safety is making a difference in an area of paramount importance: the safety of our kids. That office works to proactively prevent violence in schools and trains educators, students and staff to recognize and mitigate crises and trauma,” said Kaul earlier in March.

Also as previously reported by the Wisconsin Law Journal, both Republican and Democrat Wisconsin officials stood in solidarity earlier in June 2023, advocating for additional funds for Wisconsin’s Crime Lab. The Criminal Justice Coalition gathered in Madison expressing support for critical investments needed to be made in Wisconsin’s criminal justice system. Among those investments, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney made a case for additional toxicologists.