Jesse L. James, Wisconsin State Senator for 23rd District | www.facebook.com
Jesse L. James, Wisconsin State Senator for 23rd District | www.facebook.com
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "a pilot school-centered mental health program. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill establishes a pilot school-centered mental health program in Wisconsin for the 2025-27 biennium, requiring the Department of Health Services (DHS) to allocate funds to a provider to implement the program in two schools—one in a rural district and another in a suburban or urban district. The program aims to support at-risk pupils and families with full-time therapist and family coach positions, offering services year-round at school, home, and in the community. It includes evidence-based therapy, family coaching aligned with therapeutic goals, classroom observations for behavior interventions, and school staff training. The provider must submit a report on the program's impact on pupils and families within six months after the two-year period, and DHS is required to forward the report to the legislature. The program is designed to enhance behavioral health resources at participating schools and measure improvement in social determinants of health and mental health symptoms.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), Representative Calvin T. Callahan (Republican-35th District), and Representative Bob G. Donovan (Republican-61st District), along four other co-sponsors.
Jesse L. James has authored or co-authored another 75 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
James graduated from Chippewa Valley Technical College in 2001.
James, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2023 to represent the state's 23rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Kathy Bernier.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB245 | 05/09/2025 | A pilot school-centered mental health program. (FE) |
| SB239 | 05/09/2025 | Prohibiting hotels, inns, and motels from discriminating against dog handlers who are accompanied by search and rescue dogs |
| SB238 | 05/09/2025 | Harassment of search and rescue dogs and providing a penalty |
| SB237 | 05/09/2025 | A sales and use tax exemption for equipment associated with the use of a search and rescue dog. (FE) |
| SB236 | 05/09/2025 | Tampering with telecommunication or electric wires and providing a penalty |
| SB232 | 04/29/2025 | Grants to child advocacy centers. (FE) |
| SB227 | 04/29/2025 | The law enforcement officers’ bill of rights |
| SB222 | 04/25/2025 | Extortion, sexual extortion, and providing a penalty |
| SB210 | 04/16/2025 | Changes to amount of, and criteria for designating recipients of, academic excellence higher education scholarships. (FE) |
| SB192 | 04/14/2025 | Fatality review teams and granting rule-making authority. (FE) |
| SB191 | 04/14/2025 | Requiring a subpoena to a law enforcement officer or tribal law enforcement officer served in official capacity to be served at the officer’s work address |
| SB183 | 04/14/2025 | Reimbursement of emergency services under the Medical Assistance program when a patient is not transported, reporting on changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE) |
| SB182 | 04/14/2025 | Emergency medical services education, tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and a live 911 pilot program. (FE) |
| SB181 | 04/14/2025 | A levy limit exemption for regional emergency medical systems and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE) |
| SB179 | 04/03/2025 | Applying the motor vehicle fuel tax supplier’s administrative allowance to diesel fuel, a motor vehicle fuel tax refund for evaporation losses, and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB178 | 04/03/2025 | Changes to the low-income housing tax credit. (FE) |
| SB171 | 04/03/2025 | Requiring child sexual abuse prevention education. (FE) |
| SB163 | 03/27/2025 | Income change notifications for child support or maintenance orders |
| SB140 | 03/21/2025 | Provisional social worker certificates and licenses |
| SB132 | 03/14/2025 | Classification of the crime of impersonating law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and certain other emergency personnel and providing a penalty |
| SB119 | 03/07/2025 | Positions for the Office of School Safety. (FE) |
| SB113 | 03/07/2025 | A transition to grazing pilot program and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB83 | 02/26/2025 | Utilization management controls for antipsychotic prescription drugs under the Medical Assistance program. (FE) |
| SB75 | 02/26/2025 | Venue for actions in which there is a governmental party |
| SB73 | 02/26/2025 | Prosecuting or adjudicating delinquent a person under the age of 18 for committing an act of prostitution |
| SB72 | 02/26/2025 | Creating an individual income tax deduction for certain income earned by an individual from the practice of psychiatry or from providing psychiatric or mental health services. (FE) |
| SB62 | 02/21/2025 | Financing the operating costs and certain out-of-state projects of nonprofit institutions and compensation of employees of the Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority. (FE) |
| SB42 | 02/12/2025 | Permitting pharmacists to prescribe certain contraceptives, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| SB41 | 02/12/2025 | School safety grants and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB39 | 02/12/2025 | Establishment of a Palliative Care Council. (FE) |
| SB23 | 02/05/2025 | Extension of eligibility under the Medical Assistance program for postpartum women. (FE) |
| SB21 | 02/05/2025 | Creating an employee ownership conversion costs tax credit, a deduction for capital gains from the transfer of a business to employee ownership, and an employee ownership education and outreach program. (FE) |
| SB17 | 02/05/2025 | Special circumstances battery to a community service officer and providing a penalty |
Alerts Sign-up