1997 Wisconsin Act 45

  Date of enactment: December 15, 1997
1997 Assembly Bill 270   Date of publication*: January 2, 1998

* Section 991.11, Wisconsin Statutes 1995-96: Effective date of acts. “Every act and every portion of an act enacted by the legislature over the governor's partial veto which does not expressly prescribe the time when it takes effect shall take effect on the day after its date of publication as designated" by the secretary of state [the date of publication may not be more than 10 working days after the date of enactment].

1997 WISCONSIN ACT 45

An Act to amend 767.115 (title) and 767.115 (1); and to create 767.115 (1) (b) and 767.115 (3) of the statutes; relating to: ordering attendance at parenting classes in paternity actions.

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

45,1 Section 1 . 767.115 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

767.115 (title) Educational program on the effects of divorce on children in action affecting the family.

45,2 Section 2 . 767.115 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

767.115 (1) (a) At any time during the pendency of an action affecting the family in which a minor child is involved and in which the court or family court commissioner determines that it is appropriate and in the best interest of the child, the court or family court commissioner, on its own motion, may order the parties to attend a program specified by the court or family court commissioner concerning the effects on a child of a dissolution of the marriage.

(1m) A program under this subsection sub. (1) shall be educational rather than therapeutic in nature and may not exceed a total of 4 hours in length. The parties shall be responsible for the cost, if any, of attendance at the program. The court or family court commissioner may specifically assign responsibility for payment of any cost. No facts or information obtained in the course of the program, and no report resulting from the program, is admissible in any action or proceeding.

45,3 Section 3 . 767.115 (1) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

767.115 (1) (b) At any time during the pendency of an action to determine the paternity of a child, or an action affecting the family for which the underlying action was an action to determine the paternity of a child, if the court or family court commissioner determines that it is appropriate and in the best interest of the child, the court or family court commissioner, on its own motion, may order either or both of the parties to attend a program specified by the court or family court commissioner providing training in parenting or coparenting skills, or both.

45,4 Section 4 . 767.115 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

767.115 (3) A party who fails to attend a program ordered under sub. (1) or pay costs specifically ordered under sub. (1m) may be proceeded against under ch. 785 for contempt of court.