AB41,5 9Section 5. 48.81 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,5,1010 48.81 (6) The child is being readopted under s. 48.97 (2).
Note: This Section adjusts a cross-reference to the provision recognizing
adoptions from other jurisdictions that is revised and renumbered under this bill.
AB41,6 11Section 6. 48.838 (3) of the statutes is repealed.
Note: This Section removes the authority for DCF to charge a fee for approval of
a placement under the procedure for statutory recognition of an adoption granted by a
court of a foreign jurisdiction that is replaced in this bill by the requirement to readopt
the child, for which the same fee is already allowed.
AB41,7 12Section 7. 48.839 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 48.839 (1m) and amended
13to read:
AB41,6,214 48.839 (1m) Bond required. (a) Any Before a resident of this state who has
15been appointed by a court as guardian or granted adoption of a child who is a citizen
16of a foreign jurisdiction as guardian of a child who is a citizen by a court of that
17jurisdiction, before bringing may bring the child into this state for the purpose of
18adopting the child, the resident shall file with the department a $1,000
19noncancelable bond in favor of this state, furnished by a surety company licensed to
20do business in this state. The condition of the bond shall be that the child will not

1become dependent on public funds for his or her primary support before he or she is
2adopted.
AB41,6,83 (b) By filing the bond required under par. (a), the child's guardian or parent and
4the surety submit to the jurisdiction of the court in the county in which the guardian
5or parent resides for purposes of liability on the bond, and appoint the clerk of the
6court as their agent upon whom any papers affecting their bond liability may be
7served. Their liability on the bond may be enforced without the commencement of
8an independent action.
AB41,6,159 (c) If upon affidavit of the department it appears to the court that the condition
10of the bond has been violated, the court shall order the guardian or parent and the
11surety to show cause why judgment on the bond should not be entered for the
12department. If neither the guardian or parent nor the surety appear for the hearing
13on the order to show cause, or if the court concludes after the hearing that the
14condition of the bond has been violated, the court shall enter judgment on the bond
15for the department against the guardian or parent and the surety.
AB41,6,2216 (d) If custody of the child is transferred under sub. (4) (b) to a county
17department or child welfare agency before the child is adopted, the department shall
18periodically bill the guardian or parent and the surety under s. 49.32 (1) (b) or 49.345
19for the cost of care and maintenance of the child until the child is adopted or becomes
20age 18, whichever is earlier. The guardian or parent and surety shall also be liable
21under the bond for costs incurred by the department in enforcing the bond against
22the guardian or parent and surety.
AB41,7,223 (e) This section does not preclude the department or any other agency given
24custody of a child under sub. (4) (b) from collecting under s. 49.32 (1) (b) or 49.345
25from the former guardian or parent for costs in excess of the amount recovered under

1the bond incurred in enforcing the bond and providing care and maintenance for the
2child until he or she reaches age 18 or is adopted.
AB41,7,43 (f) The department may waive the bond requirement under this subsection par.
4(a)
.
Note: This Section and the following four Section incorporate readoption of a
child by a resident of this state who has been granted an adoption in the child's home
country into the procedure provided under current law for the adoption of a child by a
resident of this state who has been appointed guardian of the child in the child's home
country.
AB41,8 5Section 8. 48.839 (1d) of the statutes is created to read:
AB41,7,66 48.839 (1d) Definitions. In this section:
AB41,7,97 (a) "Adoption" includes a readoption by a resident of this state who has been
8granted an adoption by a court of a foreign jurisdiction of a child who is a citizen of
9that jurisdiction.
AB41,7,1110 (b) "Parent" means a resident of this state who has been granted an adoption
11by a court of a foreign jurisdiction of a child who is a citizen of that jurisdiction.
Note: This Section specifies that, for purposes of adopting a child who is a citizen
of another country, the "adoption" procedure applies to "readoption" of a child who was
adopted in the child's home country.
AB41,9 12Section 9. 48.839 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,8,513 48.839 (2) Evidence of availability for adoption required. (a) Any A resident
14of this state who has been appointed by a court as guardian or granted adoption of
15a child who is a citizen
of a foreign jurisdiction as guardian of a child who is a citizen
16by a court of that jurisdiction and who intends to bring the child into this state for
17the purpose of adopting the child shall file with the department a certified copy of the
18judgment or order of a court of the foreign jurisdiction or other instrument having
19the effect under the laws of the foreign jurisdiction of freeing the child for adoption
20or of granting adoption to the parent. If the instrument is not a judgment or order

1of a court, the guardian or parent shall also file with the department a copy of the
2law under which the instrument was issued, unless the department waives this
3requirement. The guardian or parent shall also file English translations of the court
4judgment or order or other instrument and of the law. The department shall return
5the originals to the guardian or parent and keep on file a copy of each document.
AB41,8,186 (b) If the guardian or parent files a judgment or order of a court under par. (a),
7the department shall review the judgment or order. If the department determines
8that the judgment or order has the effect of freeing the child for adoption or of
9granting adoption to the parent
, if the department has been furnished with a copy
10of a home study that was conducted as provided in s. 48.88 (2) recommending the
11guardian or parent as an adoptive parent, if a licensed child welfare agency has been
12identified to provide the services required under sub. (5), if the guardian or parent
13has filed the bond required under sub. (1) (1m), and if the guardian or parent has
14completed the preadoption preparation required under s. 48.84 (1) or the department
15has determined that the guardian   or parent is not required to complete that
16preparation, the department shall certify to the U.S. citizenship and immigration
17and naturalization service services that all preadoptive requirements of this state
18that can be met before the child's arrival in the United States have been met.
AB41,9,719 (c) If the guardian or parent files an instrument other than a judgment or order
20of a court under par. (a), the department shall review the instrument. If the
21department determines that the instrument has the effect under the laws of the
22foreign jurisdiction of freeing the child for adoption or of granting adoption to the
23parent
, if the department has been furnished with a copy of a home study that was
24conducted as provided in s. 48.88 (2)
recommending the adoptive parents, if a
25licensed child welfare agency has been identified to provide the services required

1under sub. (5), if the guardian or parent has filed the bond required under sub. (1)
2(1m), and if the guardian or parent has completed the preadoption preparation
3required under s. 48.84 (1) or the department has determined that the guardian or
4parent
is not required to complete that preparation, the department shall certify to
5the U.S. citizenship and immigration and naturalization service services that all
6preadoptive requirements of this state that can be met prior to the child's arrival in
7the United States have been met.
AB41,10 8Section 10. 48.839 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,9,179 48.839 (3) Petition for adoption or termination of parental rights required.
10(a) Within 60 days after the arrival of a child brought into this state from a foreign
11jurisdiction for the purpose of adoption, the individual who is the child's guardian or
12parent
shall file a petition to adopt the child, a petition to terminate parental rights
13to the child, or both. If only a petition to terminate parental rights to the child is filed
14under this paragraph, the individual guardian or parent shall file a petition for
15adoption within 60 days of the order terminating parental rights. The individual
16guardian or parent shall file with the court the documents filed with the department
17under sub. (2) (a).
AB41,9,2018 (b) Except as provided in par. (a) and sub. (4) (a), the termination of a parent's
19parental rights to a child who is a citizen of a foreign jurisdiction is not required prior
20to the child's adoption by his or her guardian or parent.
AB41,9,2521 (c) If a petition for adoption is filed under par. (a), the individual guardian or
22parent
filing the petition shall file a copy of the petition with the department at the
23time the petition is filed with the court. If the individual guardian or parent filed an
24instrument other than a court order or judgment under sub. (2) (a), the department
25may make a recommendation to the court as to whether the instrument filed has the

1effect under the laws of the foreign jurisdiction of freeing the child for adoption or of
2granting adoption to the parent
.
AB41,10,133 (d) If a petition for adoption is filed under par. (a) and the individual guardian
4or parent filing the petition filed an instrument other than a court order or judgment
5under sub. (2) (a), the court shall determine whether the instrument filed has the
6effect under the laws of the foreign jurisdiction of freeing the child for adoption or of
7granting adoption to the parent
. The court shall presume that the instrument has
8that effect unless there are substantial irregularities on the face of the document or
9unless the department shows good cause for believing that the instrument does not
10have that effect. If the court determines that the instrument does not have the effect
11of freeing the child for adoption or of granting adoption to the parent, the court shall
12order the petitioner to file a petition to terminate parental rights under s. 48.42
13within 10 days.
AB41,10,1714 (e) If a petition for adoption is filed under par. (a) and the individual guardian
15or parent filing the petition filed a court order or judgment under sub. (2) (a), the
16court order or judgment shall be legally sufficient evidence that the child is free for
17adoption or has been adopted by the parent.
AB41,11 18Section 11. 48.839 (4) (intro.), (a) and (c) of the statutes are amended to read:
AB41,10,2119 48.839 (4) Transfer of guardianship; forfeiture of bond. (intro.) If a
20guardian or parent does not file a petition as required under sub. (3) (a) or (d), or if
21the petition for adoption under sub. (3) is withdrawn or denied, the court:
AB41,10,2522 (a) Shall transfer guardianship of the child to the department, to a county
23department under s. 48.57 (1) (e) or (hm) or to a child welfare agency under s. 48.61
24(5) and order the guardian or parent to file a petition for termination of parental
25rights under s. 48.42 within 10 days.
AB41,11,2
1(c) Shall order the guardian or parent who filed the bond under sub. (1) (1m)
2(a) to show cause why the bond should not be forfeited.
AB41,12 3Section 12. 48.88 (2) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,11,84 48.88 (2) (a) 4. If the child is a citizen of a foreign jurisdiction and is under the
5guardianship of an individual the petitioner, or was adopted by the petitioner, by
6order of a court of that jurisdiction
, the agency which conducted the home study
7required under federal law prior to the child's entry into the United States
that
8negotiated or arranged placement under s. 48.839
.
Note: This Section amends the home study requirements for an adoptive parent
who was appointed guardian of a child in the child's home country to also apply to an
adoptive parent who was granted an adoption of a child by a court of the child's home
country.
AB41,13 9Section 13. 48.91 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,11,1810 48.91 (3) If after the hearing and a study of the report required by s. 48.88 and
11the recommendation required by s. 48.841 or 48.89, the court is satisfied that the
12necessary consents or recommendations have been filed and that, except as provided
13in sub. (4),
the adoption is in the best interests of the child, the court shall make an
14order granting the adoption. In determining whether the adoption is in the best
15interests of an Indian child, the court shall comply with the order of placement
16preference under s. 48.028 (7) (a) or, if applicable, s. 48.028 (7) (c), unless the court
17finds good cause, as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), for departing from that order. The
18order may change the name of the minor to that requested by petitioners.
Note: This Section specifies that the standard for approving an adoption is subject
to a modified standard if the adoption proceeding is for the readoption of a child who was
adopted by the adoptive parents in the child's home country.
AB41,14 19Section 14. 48.91 (4) of the statutes is created to read:
AB41,12,220 48.91 (4) In a proceeding under s. 48.839 for the readoption of a child who was
21a citizen of a foreign jurisdiction by a petitioner who was granted adoption of the child

1by a court of that jurisdiction, the court may not consider when granting the adoption
2under sub. (3) whether the adoption is in the best interests of the child.
Note: This Section modifies the standard for approving the adoption of a child
when the child was adopted by the adoptive parents in the child's home country. This
Section requires a court in approving readoption of the child to consider only whether
all adoption requirements have been met and whether the order of the foreign court was
effective under the laws of that jurisdiction, and prohibits a court from assessing the best
interests of the child. If the court is satisfied that the necessary procedural requirements
have been met and that the foreign court order is effective, the court must recognize the
adoption granted by the foreign court and must grant readoption of the child under
Wisconsin law.
AB41,15 3Section 15. 48.97 of the statutes is renumbered 48.97 (1) and amended to read:
AB41,12,104 48.97 (1) Other state. When the relationship of parent and child has been
5created by an order of adoption of a court of any other state or nation, the rights and
6obligations of the parties as to matters within the jurisdiction of this state shall be
7determined by s. 48.92. If the adoptive parents were residents of this state at the
8time of the foreign adoption, the preceding sentence applies only if the department
9has approved the placement. A child whose adoption would otherwise be valid under
10this section may be readopted in accordance with this chapter.
Note: This Section repeals the statutory recognition of an adoption granted by a
court of a foreign jurisdiction and the discretionary allowance for a parent to readopt a
child who was adopted in that home country.
AB41,16 11Section 16. 48.97 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
AB41,12,1412 48.97 (2) Other nation. When a relationship of parent and child has been
13created by an order of adoption of a court of any other nation, the parent shall readopt
14the child under s. 48.839.
Note: This Section requires adoptive parents to readopt a child who was adopted
in the child's home country, under the same procedure in current law for adoption by a
resident of this state who was appointed as guardian of the child in the child's home
country.
AB41,17 15Section 17. 49.32 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,13,616 49.32 (1) (b) Except as provided in s. 49.345 (14) (b) and (c), any person
17receiving services provided or purchased under par. (a) or the spouse of the person

1and, in the case of a minor, the parents of the person, and, in the case of a foreign child
2described in s. 48.839 (1) (1m) who became dependent on public funds for his or her
3primary support before an order granting his or her adoption, the resident of this
4state appointed guardian or granted adoption of the child by a foreign court who
5brought the child into this state for the purpose of adoption, shall be liable for the
6services in the amount of the fee established under par. (a).
Note: This Section adjusts a cross-reference to the intercountry adoption
procedure that is revised and renumbered under this bill and amends the reference to
include an adoption granted by a court of the child's home country.
AB41,18 7Section 18. 49.345 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,14,58 49.345 (2) Except as provided in sub. (14) (b) and (c), any person, including but
9not limited to
a person placed under s. 48.345 (3) or 48.357 (1) or (2m), receiving care,
10maintenance, services, and supplies provided by any institution in this state, in
11which the state is chargeable with all or part of the person's care, maintenance,
12services, and supplies, and the person's property and estate, including the
13homestead, and the spouse of the person, and the spouse's property and estate,
14including the homestead, and, in the case of a minor child, the parents of the person,
15and their property and estates, including their homestead, and, in the case of a
16foreign child described in s. 48.839 (1) (1m) who became dependent on public funds
17for his or her primary support before an order granting his or her adoption, the
18resident of this state appointed guardian or granted adoption of the child by a foreign
19court who brought the child into this state for the purpose of adoption, and his or her
20property and estate, including his or her homestead, shall be liable for the cost of the
21care, maintenance, services, and supplies in accordance with the fee schedule
22established by the department under s. 49.32 (1). If a spouse, widow, or minor, or an
23incapacitated person may be lawfully dependent upon the property for his or her

1support, the court shall release all or such part of the property and estate from the
2charges that may be necessary to provide for the person. The department shall make
3every reasonable effort to notify the liable persons as soon as possible after the
4beginning of the maintenance, but the notice or the receipt thereof of the notice is not
5a condition of liability.
Note: This Section adjusts a cross-reference to the intercountry adoption
procedure that is revised and renumbered under this bill and amends the reference to
include an adoption granted by a court of the child's home country.
AB41,19 6Section 19. 54.52 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,14,137 54.52 (1) A person may at any time bring a petition for the appointment of a
8standby guardian of the person or estate of an individual who is determined under
9s. 54.10 to be incompetent, a minor, or a spendthrift, except that, as specified in s.
1048.97 48.978 a petition for the appointment of a standby guardian of the person or
11property or both of a minor to assume the duty and authority of guardianship on the
12incapacity, death, or debilitation and consent, of the minor's parent may be brought
13under s. 48.978.
Note: This Section fixes an incorrect cross-reference to the provision recognizing
adoptions from other jurisdictions that is amended under this bill, which should, instead,
cross-reference to the provision for appointment or designation of a standby guardian of
a child.
AB41,20 14Section 20. 301.03 (18) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,15,215 301.03 (18) (b) Except as provided in s. 301.12 (14) (b) and (c), hold liable for
16the services provided or purchased under par. (a) in the amount of the fee established
17under par. (a) any person receiving those services or the spouse of the person and,
18in the case of a minor, the parents of the person, and, in the case of a foreign child
19described in s. 48.839 (1) (1m) who became dependent on public funds for his or her
20primary support before an order granting his or her adoption, the resident of this

1state appointed guardian or granted adoption of the child by a foreign court who
2brought the child into this state for the purpose of adoption.
Note: This Section adjusts a cross-reference to the intercountry adoption
procedure that is revised and renumbered under this bill and amends the reference to
include an adoption granted by a court of the child's home country.
AB41,21 3Section 21. 301.12 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,16,24 301.12 (2) Except as provided in subs. (2m) and (14) (b) and (c), any person,
5including a person placed under s. 938.183, 938.34 (4h) or (4m), or 938.357 (4) or (5)
6(e), receiving care, maintenance, services, and supplies provided by any institution
7in this state operated or contracted for by the department, in which the state is
8chargeable with all or part of the person's care, maintenance, services, and supplies,
9and the person's property and estate, including the homestead, and the spouse of the
10person, and the spouse's property and estate, including the homestead, and, in the
11case of a minor child, the parents of the person, and their property and estates,
12including their homestead, and, in the case of a foreign child described in s. 48.839
13(1) (1m) who became dependent on public funds for his or her primary support before
14an order granting his or her adoption, the resident of this state appointed guardian
15or granted adoption of the child by a foreign court who brought the child into this
16state for the purpose of adoption, and his or her property and estate, including his
17or her homestead, shall be liable for the cost of the care, maintenance, services, and
18supplies in accordance with the fee schedule established by the department under
19s. 301.03 (18). If a spouse, widow, or minor, or an incapacitated person, may be
20lawfully dependent upon the property for his or her support, the court shall release
21all or such part of the property and estate from the charges that may be necessary
22to provide for that person. The department shall make every reasonable effort to

1notify the liable persons as soon as possible after the beginning of the maintenance,
2but the notice or the receipt of the notice is not a condition of liability.
Note: This Section adjusts a cross-reference to the intercountry adoption
procedure that is revised and renumbered under this bill and amends the reference to
include an adoption granted by a court of the child's home country.
AB41,22 3Section 22. 632.896 (1) (c) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB41,16,74 632.896 (1) (c) 5. A court of a foreign jurisdiction appoints the insured as
5guardian or grants adoption of a child who is a citizen of that jurisdiction, and the
6child arrives in the insured's home for the purpose of adoption by the insured under
7s. 48.839.
Note: This Section amends a cross-reference to the intercountry adoption
procedure that is revised under this bill to include the parent in an adoption granted by
a court of the child's home country.
AB41,23 8Section 23. Initial applicability.
AB41,16,119 (1) Readoption of child adopted in foreign nation. This act first applies to a
10home study filed with the department of children and families under section 48.839
11(2) (b) or (c) of the statutes on the effective date of this subsection.
Note: This Section specifies that if, on or after the effective date of this bill
becoming law, a person files a home study with DCF, the readoption procedure provided
under this bill applies to the adoption. This means that if a person has filed, before the
effective date of this bill becoming law, for approval of the placement by DCF under the
procedure for statutory recognition of an adoption granted by a court of a foreign
jurisdiction, the person is not required to readopt the child as provided under the bill and
the adoption granted by a court of a foreign jurisdiction is recognized in Wisconsin as
under prior law.
AB41,16,1212 (End)
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