2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE
February 16, 2006 - Introduced by Representatives Gundrum, Musser,
Ziegelbauer, Kestell, Pettis, Krawczyk, Turner, F. Lasee, Ainsworth, Wood,
Gunderson, Ott, Stone, Albers, Petrowski
and Jeskewitz, cosponsored by
Senators Zien, Brown, Reynolds and Roessler. Referred to Committee on
Family Law.
AB1026,1,6 1An Act to amend 767.24 (2) (a), 767.24 (2) (b) (intro.), 767.24 (5) (am) (intro.) and
2767.325 (5m) (a); and to create 767.24 (2) (e), 767.24 (5) (c), 767.325 (3m) and
3767.325 (5m) (c) of the statutes; relating to: prohibiting a court from
4considering a parent's active duty in the U.S. armed forces when determining
5or modifying the legal custody of a child and reinstating periods of physical
6placement upon a parent's discharge from active duty.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, in an action affecting the family, such as a divorce or a
paternity action, a court must determine the legal custody of a child based on the best
interest of the child and must allocate periods of physical placement between the
parents that maximizes the amount of time the child may spend with each parent,
taking into account geographic separation and accommodations for different
households. Although the court may grant sole legal custody to one parent or joint
legal custody to both parents, the court must presume that joint legal custody is in
the child's best interest. In making the legal custody and physical placement
decisions, the court must consider a number of factors that are set out in the statutes,
including: the wishes of the parents and of the child; the interaction of the child with
the parents; the amount of time that each parent has spent with the child in the past
and any lifestyle changes that a parent proposes to make to be able to spend more
time with the child in the future; the child's adjustment to home, school, religion, and

community; the child's age and developmental and educational needs at different
ages; and any other factors that the court considers relevant.
Also under current law, the court may not modify a legal custody or physical
placement order within two years after the initial order unless the court finds that
the modification is necessary because current custodial conditions are physically or
emotionally harmful to the best interest of the child. After two years after the initial
order, the court, generally, may modify a legal custody or physical placement order
if the court finds that there has been a substantial change of circumstances since the
last custody or physical placement order was entered and that the modification is in
the best interest of the child. Generally, in determining whether to modify a legal
custody or physical placement order, the court must consider the same factors that
the court considers when initially deciding legal custody and physical placement.
This bill provides that, if a parent is a service member (defined as a member of
the national guard or of a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces), when initially
determining a child's legal custody or in an action to modify a legal custody order the
court may not consider whether the parent who is a service member has been or may
be called to active duty in the U.S. armed forces, and consequently is or will be or may
be absent from home. The bill also provides that, if a parent is a service member and
the court modifies a physical placement order on the basis that the service member
has been or will be called to active duty, the court must require that the allocation
and schedule of periods of physical placement that were in effect before the
modification be reinstated upon the service member's discharge from active duty.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB1026, s. 1 1Section 1. 767.24 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1026,2,52 767.24 (2) (a) Subject to pars. (am), (b), (c), and (d) to (e), based on the best
3interest of the child and after considering the factors under sub. (5) (am), subject to
4sub. (5) (bm), the court may give joint legal custody or sole legal custody of a minor
5child.
AB1026, s. 2 6Section 2. 767.24 (2) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1026,2,97 767.24 (2) (b) (intro.) Except as provided in par. (d) and subject to par. (e), the
8court may give sole legal custody only if it finds that doing so is in the child's best
9interest and that either of the following applies:
AB1026, s. 3 10Section 3. 767.24 (2) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1026,3,2
1767.24 (2) (e) 1. In this paragraph, "service member" means a member of the
2national guard or of a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces.
AB1026,3,63 2. If a party is a service member, the court may not consider as a factor in
4determining the legal custody of a child whether the service member has been or may
5be called to active duty in the U.S. armed forces and consequently is, or in the future
6will be or may be, absent from the service member's home.
AB1026, s. 4 7Section 4. 767.24 (5) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB1026,3,138 767.24 (5) (am) (intro.) Subject to par. pars. (bm) and (c), in determining legal
9custody and periods of physical placement, the court shall consider all facts relevant
10to the best interest of the child. The court may not prefer one parent or potential
11custodian over the other on the basis of the sex or race of the parent or potential
12custodian. Subject to par. pars. (bm) and (c), the court shall consider the following
13factors in making its determination:
AB1026, s. 5 14Section 5. 767.24 (5) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1026,3,1915 767.24 (5) (c) If a parent is a service member, as defined in sub. (2) (e) 1., the
16court may not consider as a factor in determining the legal custody of a child whether
17the service member has been or may be called to active duty in the U.S. armed forces
18and consequently is, or in the future will be or may be, absent from the service
19member's home.
AB1026, s. 6 20Section 6. 767.325 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1026,4,321 767.325 (3m) Reinstatement of former physical placement allocation and
22schedule.
If a party is a service member, as defined in s. 767.24 (2) (e) 1., and the
23court modifies an order of physical placement on the basis that the service member
24has been or will be called to active duty in the U.S. armed forces, notwithstanding
25sub. (1) the court shall require in the order that the allocation of periods of physical

1placement and, if applicable, the physical placement schedule that were in effect
2before the modification are reinstated immediately upon the service member's
3discharge or release from active duty.
AB1026, s. 7 4Section 7. 767.325 (5m) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 2005 Wisconsin Act
5101
, is amended to read:
AB1026,4,96 767.325 (5m) (a) Subject to par. pars. (b) and (c), in all actions to modify legal
7custody or physical placement orders, the court shall consider the factors under s.
8767.24 (5) (am), subject to s. 767.24 (5) (bm), and shall make its determination in a
9manner consistent with s. 767.24.
AB1026, s. 8 10Section 8. 767.325 (5m) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
AB1026,4,1511 767.325 (5m) (c) In an action to modify a legal custody order, if a party is a
12service member, as defined in s. 767.24 (2) (e) 1., the court may not consider as a factor
13in making a determination whether the service member has been or may be called
14to active duty in the U.S. armed forces and consequently is, or in the future will be
15or may be, absent from the service member's home.
AB1026, s. 9 16Section 9. Initial applicability.
AB1026,4,1917 (1) This act first applies to orders awarding legal custody, and orders modifying
18legal custody or physical placement orders previously entered, that are granted on
19the effective date of this subsection.
AB1026,4,2020 (End)
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