March 8, 2001 - Introduced by Representatives Rhoades, Bock, Kestell, Krug,
Krawczyk, Lippert, Huebsch, Vrakas, Wade, Hundertmark, Musser,
Gunderson, La Fave, Powers, Ott, Stone, Owens, Ladwig, Huber, Ainsworth,
Plouff, Miller, Olsen, Turner, Urban, J. Lehman, Riley
and Wasserman,
cosponsored by Senators Grobschmidt, Rosenzweig, Darling, Burke,
Harsdorf, Roessler, M. Meyer, Huelsman
and Schultz. Referred to
Committee on Health.
AB182,2,6 1An Act to repeal 51.15 (1) (a) 5., 51.15 (1) (c), 51.20 (1) (ad) 3., 51.20 (10) (cm)
22., 51.20 (13) (g) 2d. c., 51.30 (4) (b) 14., 165.017 (1), 165.017 (3) and 165.017 (5);
3to renumber and amend 51.20 (10) (cm) 1.; to amend 51.15 (1) (a) (intro.),
451.15 (4) (a), 51.15 (5), 51.20 (1) (a) 2. e., 51.20 (1) (ad) 1., 51.30 (3) (b), 51.30 (4)
5(b) 11., 51.61 (1) (g) 3m. and 165.017 (2) of the statutes; and to affect 1995
6Wisconsin Act 292
, section 5, 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 12, 1995
7Wisconsin Act 292
, section 14, 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 16, 1995
8Wisconsin Act 292
, section 20, 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 22, 1995
9Wisconsin Act 292
, section 24, 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 28, 1995
10Wisconsin Act 292
, section 30, 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 30h, 1995
11Wisconsin Act 292
, section 32, 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 37 (1), 1997
12Wisconsin Act 35
, section 141, 1997 Wisconsin Act 35, section 144, 1997
13Wisconsin Act 35
, section 147 and 1997 Wisconsin Act 35, section 605 (1);
14relating to: eliminating emergency detention under the fifth standard of

1dangerousness, eliminating termination of involuntary civil commitments
2under the fifth standard of dangerousness, permitting only petitions approved
3by the attorney general to be filed for involuntary civil commitment under the
4fifth standard of dangerousness, and providing access by the corporation
5counsel to court records and treatment records of persons receiving services for
6mental illness, developmental disabilities, alcoholism or drug dependence.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a person who is believed to be mentally ill and a proper
subject for treatment and who evidences certain acts, omissions, or other behavior
that indicate that he or she satisfies at least one of five standards of dangerousness
may be detained on an emergency basis and transported to and detained and treated
in a mental health treatment facility. A petition signed by three others may be
brought against the detained person alleging that the detained person is mentally
ill, is a proper subject for treatment, and is dangerous because he or she meets a
standard for involuntary civil commitment. (Emergency detention is not, however,
a prerequisite to bringing such a petition; it can be brought against any person.) If
such a petition is filed with a court, the subject of the petition must be given a hearing
to determine if there is probable cause sufficient to support the petition's allegations.
If a court finds probable cause, a final hearing on commitment must be held, and if,
again, the person is found to have satisfied one of the standards of dangerousness he
or she may be involuntarily committed to the care and custody of a county
department of community programs for appropriate treatment.
Currently, one of the five standards of dangerousness for emergency detention
and involuntary civil commitment terminates on December 1, 2001. That standard,
known as the "fifth standard," requires that a person, because of mental illness,
either evidence the incapability of expressing an understanding of the advantages
and disadvantages of and alternatives to accepting a particular medication or
treatment after these have been explained to him or her, or evidence substantial
incapability of applying an understanding of those advantages, disadvantages, and
alternatives to his or her mental illness in order to make an informed choice as to
whether to accept or refuse medication or treatment. The person must also evidence
a substantial probability, as demonstrated by both his or her treatment history and
recent acts or omissions, that he or she needs care or treatment to prevent further
disability or deterioration. Lastly, the person must evidence a substantial
probability that he or she will, if left untreated, lack services necessary for his or her
health or safety and suffer mental, emotional, or physical harm that will result in
either the loss of his or her ability to function independently in the community or the
loss of cognitive or volitional control over his or her thoughts or actions.

Under current law, the attorney general or his or her designee must review an
emergency detention that is made under the fifth standard before the detention
takes place or within 12 hours after. If the attorney general or designee disapproves
or fails to act with respect to the proposed detention, it may not be carried out; if the
attorney general or designee disapproves or fails to act with respect to an actual
emergency detention, the detained person must be released. The attorney general
or designee also must review a petition for involuntary commitment that is based on
the fifth standard before the petition is filed with a court or within 12 hours after the
filing. If the attorney general or designee disapproves or fails to act with respect to
a proposed petition, the petition may not be filed; if the attorney general or designee
disapproves or fails to act with respect to a filed petition, the subject of the petition,
if he or she has been detained under the petition, must be released and the petition
is void. These provisions do not apply if the attorney general or designee makes a
finding that a court of competent jurisdiction in this state, in a case challenging the
constitutionality of the fifth standard, has upheld the constitutionality.
Currently, the inpatient treatment of a person who is involuntarily committed
under the fifth standard may not be more than 30 days, unless the person violates
a condition of outpatient treatment. Medication and treatment may be administered
to the person without his or her consent if a court finds probable cause to believe that
the person meets the fifth standard and if the court finds at the final commitment
hearing that the standard is met.
Currently, the files and records of court proceedings for involuntary
commitment of individuals are closed except to the individual or to other persons
with the individual's informed consent and, without the individual's consent, to the
individual's attorney or guardian ad litem in order that the attorney or guardian ad
litem may prepare for certain proceedings with respect to the individual. Treatment
records of an individual are confidential and may be released without the informed
written consent of the individual only to certain persons or under certain
circumstances. An individual's counsel or guardian ad litem may have access to the
treatment records, without informed consent, at any time, without limitation, in
order to prepare for proceedings with respect to the individual; access by the counsel
for the interest of the public without informed consent, however, is restricted to those
treatment records concerning the admission, detention, or commitment of an
individual who is presently admitted, detained, or committed.
This bill eliminates the fifth standard for emergency detention. The bill
eliminates also the December 1, 2001, termination of the fifth standard for
involuntary civil commitment of persons with mental illness.
The bill eliminates the opportunity for the filing of a petition for involuntary
commitment of persons under the fifth standard of dangerousness before review and
approval by the attorney general or his or her designee has been obtained; under the
bill, no petition for involuntary commitment of an individual under the fifth standard
of dangerousness may be filed unless the attorney general or his or her designee has
reviewed and approved it.

The bill provides access by the corporation counsel to an individual's files and
records of court proceedings and to the individual's treatment records, to the same
extent that the individual's attorney or guardian ad litem has the access.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB182, s. 1 1Section 1. 51.15 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,4,72 51.15 (1) (a) (intro.) A law enforcement officer or other person authorized to
3take a child into custody under ch. 48 or to take a juvenile into custody under ch. 938
4may take an individual into custody if the officer or person has cause to believe that
5such the individual is mentally ill or, except as provided in subd. 5., is drug
6dependent, or is developmentally disabled, and that the individual evidences any of
7the following:
AB182, s. 2 8Section 2. 51.15 (1) (a) 5. of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 3 9Section 3. 51.15 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 4 10Section 4. 51.15 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,5,511 51.15 (4) (a) In counties having a population of 500,000 or more, the law
12enforcement officer or other person authorized to take a child into custody under ch.
1348 or to take a juvenile into custody under ch. 938 shall sign a statement of
14emergency detention which shall provide detailed specific information concerning
15the recent overt act, attempt, or threat to act or omission on which the belief under
16sub. (1) is based and the names of the persons observing or reporting the recent overt
17act, attempt, or threat to act or omission. The law enforcement officer or other person
18is not required to designate in the statement whether the subject individual is
19mentally ill, developmentally disabled, or drug dependent, but shall allege that he

1or she has cause to believe that the individual evidences one or more of these
2conditions if sub. (1) (a) 1., 2., 3. or 4. is believed or mental illness, if sub. (1) (a) 5.
3is believed
. The law enforcement officer or other person shall deliver, or cause to be
4delivered, the statement to the detention facility upon the delivery of the individual
5to it.
AB182, s. 5 6Section 5. 51.15 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,6,27 51.15 (5) Detention procedure; other counties. In counties having a
8population of less than 500,000, the law enforcement officer or other person
9authorized to take a child into custody under ch. 48 or to take a juvenile into custody
10under ch. 938 shall sign a statement of emergency detention which that shall provide
11detailed specific information concerning the recent overt act, attempt , or threat to
12act or omission on which the belief under sub. (1) is based and the names of persons
13observing or reporting the recent overt act, attempt, or threat to act or omission. The
14law enforcement officer or other person is not required to designate in the statement
15whether the subject individual is mentally ill, developmentally disabled , or drug
16dependent, but shall allege that he or she has cause to believe that the individual
17evidences one or more of these conditions if sub. (1) (a) 1., 2., 3. or 4. is believed or
18mental illness, if sub. (1) (a) 5. is believed
. The statement of emergency detention
19shall be filed by the officer or other person with the detention facility at the time of
20admission, and with the court immediately thereafter. The filing of the statement
21has the same effect as a petition for commitment under s. 51.20. When, upon the
22advice of the treatment staff, the director of a facility specified in sub. (2) determines
23that the grounds for detention no longer exist, he or she shall discharge the
24individual detained under this section. Unless a hearing is held under s. 51.20 (7)
25or 55.06 (11) (b), the subject individual may not be detained by the law enforcement

1officer or other person and the facility for more than a total of 72 hours, exclusive of
2Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.
AB182, s. 6 3Section 6. 51.20 (1) (a) 2. e. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,7,54 51.20 (1) (a) 2. e. For an individual, other than an individual who is alleged to
5be drug dependent or developmentally disabled, after the advantages and
6disadvantages of and alternatives to accepting a particular medication or treatment
7have been explained to him or her and because of mental illness, evidences either
8incapability of expressing an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of
9accepting medication or treatment and the alternatives, or substantial incapability
10of applying an understanding of the advantages, disadvantages, and alternatives to
11his or her mental illness in order to make an informed choice as to whether to accept
12or refuse medication or treatment; and evidences a substantial probability, as
13demonstrated by both the individual's treatment history and his or her recent acts
14or omissions, that the individual needs care or treatment to prevent further
15disability or deterioration and a substantial probability that he or she will, if left
16untreated, lack services necessary for his or her health or safety and suffer severe
17mental, emotional, or physical harm that will result in the loss of the individual's
18ability to function independently in the community or the loss of cognitive or
19volitional control over his or her thoughts or actions. The probability of suffering
20severe mental, emotional, or physical harm is not substantial under this subd. 2. e.
21if reasonable provision for the individual's care or treatment is available in the
22community and there is a reasonable probability that the individual will avail
23himself or herself of these services or if the individual is appropriate for protective
24placement under s. 55.06. Food, shelter, or other care that is provided to an
25individual who is substantially incapable of obtaining food, shelter , or other care for

1himself or herself by any person other than a treatment facility does not constitute
2reasonable provision for the individual's care or treatment in the community under
3this subd. 2. e. The individual's status as a minor does not automatically establish
4a substantial probability of suffering severe mental, emotional, or physical harm
5under this subd. 2. e. This subd. 2. e. does not apply after November 30, 2001.
AB182, s. 7 6Section 7. 51.20 (1) (ad) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,7,147 51.20 (1) (ad) 1. If a petition under par. (a) is based on par. (a) 2. e., the petition
8shall be reviewed and approved by the attorney general or by his or her designee prior
9to or within 12 hours after the time that it is filed. If the attorney general or his or
10her designee disapproves or fails to act with respect to the petition, the petition may
11not be filed. If the attorney general or his or her designee disapproves or fails to act
12with respect to a petition under this subdivision within 12 hours after the time that
13it is filed, the individual, if detained under the petition, shall be released and the
14petition is void.
AB182, s. 8 15Section 8. 51.20 (1) (ad) 3. of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 9 16Section 9. 51.20 (10) (cm) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 51.20 (10) (cm) and
17amended to read:
AB182,8,618 51.20 (10) (cm) Prior to or at the final hearing, for individuals for whom a
19petition is filed under sub. (1) (a) 2. e., the county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437
20shall furnish to the court and the subject individual an initial recommended written
21treatment plan that contains the goals of treatment, the type of treatment to be
22provided, and the expected providers. The treatment plan shall address the
23individual's needs for inpatient care, residential services, community support
24services, medication and its monitoring, case management, and other services to
25enable the person to live in the community upon release from an inpatient facility.

1The treatment plan shall contain information concerning the availability of the
2needed services and community treatment providers' acceptance of the individual
3into their programs. The treatment plan is only a recommendation and is not subject
4to approval or disapproval by the court. Failure to furnish a treatment plan under
5this subdivision paragraph does not constitute grounds for dismissal of the petition
6unless the failure is made in bad faith.
AB182, s. 10 7Section 10. 51.20 (10) (cm) 2. of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 11 8Section 11. 51.20 (13) (g) 2d. c. of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 12 9Section 12. 51.30 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,8,1510 51.30 (3) (b) An individual's attorney or guardian ad litem and the corporation
11counsel
shall have access to the files and records of the court proceedings under this
12chapter without the individual's consent and without modification of the records in
13order to prepare for involuntary commitment or recommitment proceedings,
14reexaminations, appeals, or other actions relating to detention, admission, or
15commitment under this chapter or ch. 971 or 975.
AB182, s. 13 16Section 13. 51.30 (4) (b) 11. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,8,2117 51.30 (4) (b) 11. To the subject individual's counsel or guardian ad litem and
18the corporation counsel
, without modification, at any time in order to prepare for
19involuntary commitment or recommitment proceedings, reexaminations, appeals, or
20other actions relating to detention, admission, commitment, or patients' rights under
21this chapter or ch. 48, 971, or 975.
AB182, s. 14 22Section 14. 51.30 (4) (b) 14. of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 15 23Section 15. 51.61 (1) (g) 3m. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,9,324 51.61 (1) (g) 3m. Following a final commitment order for a subject individual
25who is determined to meet the commitment standard under s. 51.20 (1) (a) 2. e., the

1court shall issue an order permitting medication or treatment to be administered to
2the individual regardless of his or her consent. This subdivision does not apply after
3November 30, 2001.
AB182, s. 16 4Section 16. 165.017 (1) of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 17 5Section 17. 165.017 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB182,9,86 165.017 (2) The attorney general or his or her designee shall review and
7approve or disapprove all proposed petitions or petitions for commitment of
8individuals as specified under s. 51.20 (1) (ad) 1.
AB182, s. 18 9Section 18. 165.017 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 19 10Section 19. 165.017 (5) of the statutes is repealed.
AB182, s. 20 11Section 20. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 5 is repealed.
AB182, s. 21 12Section 21. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 12 is repealed.
AB182, s. 22 13Section 22. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 14 is repealed.
AB182, s. 23 14Section 23. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 16 is repealed.
AB182, s. 24 15Section 24. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 20 is repealed.
AB182, s. 25 16Section 25. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 22 is repealed.
AB182, s. 26 17Section 26. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 24 is repealed.
AB182, s. 27 18Section 27. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 28 is repealed.
AB182, s. 28 19Section 28. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 30 is repealed.
AB182, s. 29 20Section 29. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 30h is repealed.
AB182, s. 30 21Section 30. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 32 is repealed.
AB182, s. 31 22Section 31. 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, section 37 (1) is repealed.
AB182, s. 32 23Section 32. 1997 Wisconsin Act 35, section 141 is repealed.
AB182, s. 33 24Section 33. 1997 Wisconsin Act 35, section 144 is repealed.
AB182, s. 34 25Section 34. 1997 Wisconsin Act 35, section 147 is repealed.
AB182, s. 35
1Section 35. 1997 Wisconsin Act 35, section 605 (1) is repealed.
AB182, s. 36 2Section 36. Nonstatutory provisions; health and family services.
AB182,10,63 (1) Fifth standard for emergency detention and civil commitment. The
4repeal of 1995 Wisconsin Act 292, sections 5, 12, 14, 16, 20, 22, 24, 28, 30, 30h, 32,
5and 37 (1), and the repeal of 1997 Wisconsin Act 35, sections 141, 144, 147, and 605
6(1), by this act apply notwithstanding section 990.03 (3) of the statutes.
AB182,10,77 (End)
Loading...
Loading...