LRB-4637/1
SWB:emw
2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE
November 14, 2017 - Introduced by Representatives Bernier, Novak, Meyers,
Kolste, Petryk, Edming, Doyle, Berceau, Steffen, Fields, Anderson,
Mursau, Horlacher, Summerfield, Thiesfeldt, Krug, E. Brooks, Considine,
Subeck, Tittl, Loudenbeck, Sargent, Macco, Felzkowski, Spiros, Ripp,
Crowley, Sinicki, Brostoff, Kulp, Goyke, Kooyenga, Bowen and Spreitzer,
cosponsored by Senators Harsdorf, Olsen, Johnson, Marklein, Miller,
Ringhand, Bewley and Hansen. Referred to Committee on Family Law.
AB655,1,3 1An Act to amend 54.10 (3) (a) 4. and 54.10 (3) (b); and to create chapter 53, 54.10
2(2) (b) 9m. and 115.807 (4) of the statutes; relating to: supported
3decision-making agreements.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill allows an adult with a functional impairment to create a supported
decision-making agreement to allow another person, referred to as a “supporter,” to
assist the adult with certain decision-making by providing assistance with one or
more of the following: 1) understanding the options, responsibilities, and
consequences of the adult's life decisions, without making the decision for the adult;
2) accessing, collecting, and obtaining information that is relevant to a given life
decision, including medical, psychological, financial, educational, or treatment
records; 3) understanding that information once it is obtained; or 4) communicating
the adult's life decisions to the appropriate people. Under the bill, a designated
supporter is not a surrogate decision maker for the adult and is not authorized to sign
legal documents for the adult or bind the adult to a legal agreement. The supporter
has only the authority granted by the adult under the terms of the supported
decision-making agreement. Execution of a supported decision-making agreement
does not preclude an adult with a functional impairment from acting independently
of the agreement, nor may the agreement be used as evidence of incapacity or
incompetency.
The bill requires the Department of Health Services to prepare and provide
access to a supported decision-making form and information regarding supported

decision-making. Under the bill, a supported decision-making agreement must be
in writing, in substantially the form provided under the bill, entered into voluntarily,
and signed and dated either before at least two adult witnesses or a notary public in
order to be valid.
The bill provides immunity for persons under certain circumstances, including
a person whose act or failure to act is done in good faith and in reliance on a supported
decision-making agreement. The bill provides, however, that there is no immunity
from actions alleging that a health care provider caused personal injury as a result
of a negligent, reckless, or intentional act, acted inconsistently with the expressed
wishes of an adult with a functional impairment, failed to provide information to
either an adult with a functional impairment or his or her supporter that would be
necessary for informed consent, or otherwise acted inconsistently with applicable
law. In addition, under the bill, the existence or availability of a supported
decision-making agreement does not relieve a health care provider of any legal
obligation to provide services to individuals with disabilities.
Finally, under the bill, if a person who receives a copy of a supported
decision-making agreement or who is aware of the existence of a supported
decision-making agreement has reason to believe that the adult with a functional
impairment is being abused, neglected, or exploited by the supporter, that person
may report the issue to an appropriate elder-at-risk agency, adult-at-risk agency,
state or local law enforcement, or DHS. This bill does not eliminate or limit a person's
existing obligation to report such circumstances under any other statute or
regulation.
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:
AB655,1 1Section 1 . Chapter 53 of the statutes is created to read:
AB655,2,32 Chapter 53
3 supported decision-making
AB655,2,44 AGREEMENTS
AB655,2,75 Subchapter i
6 definitions and
7 general provisions
AB655,2,8 853.01 Definitions. In this chapter:
AB655,3,1
1(1) “Abuse” has the meaning given in s. 46.90 (1) (a).
AB655,3,2 2(2) “Functional impairment” means any of the following:
AB655,3,43 (a) A physical, developmental, or mental condition that substantially limits one
4or more of an individual's major life activities, including any of the following:
AB655,3,55 1. Capacity for independent living.
AB655,3,66 2. Self direction.
AB655,3,77 3. Self care.
AB655,3,88 4. Mobility.
AB655,3,99 5. Communication.
AB655,3,1010 6. Learning.
AB655,3,1111 (b) Impairment as defined under s. 54.01 (14).
AB655,3,1212 (c) Other like incapacities as defined under s. 54.01 (22).
AB655,3,13 13(3) “Financial exploitation” has the meaning given in s. 46.90 (1) (ed).
AB655,3,14 14(4) “Health care provider” has the meaning given in s. 155.01 (7).
AB655,3,15 15(5) “Neglect” has the meaning given in s. 46.90 (1) (f).
AB655,3,21 16(6) “Supported decision-making” means a process of supporting and
17accommodating an adult with a functional impairment to enable the adult to make
18life decisions, including decisions related to where the adult wants to live, the
19services, supports, and medical care the adult wants to receive, whom the adult
20wants to live with, and where the adult wants to work, without impeding the
21self-determination of the adult.
AB655,3,23 22(7) “Supported decision-making agreement" is an agreement between an adult
23with a functional impairment and a supporter entered into under this chapter.
AB655,3,25 24(8) “Supporter" means an adult who is willing to enter into an agreement with
25an adult with a functional impairment to provide supported decision-making.
AB655,4,5
153.03 Agreement not evidence of incapacity or incompetency.
2Execution of a supported decision-making agreement may not be used as evidence
3of incapacity or incompetency and does not preclude an adult with a functional
4impairment who has entered into such an agreement from acting independently of
5the agreement.
AB655,4,66 Subchapter iI
AB655,4,87 scope of agreement
8 and agreement requirements
AB655,4,12 953.10 Scope. (1) If an adult with a functional impairment decides voluntarily,
10without coercion, to enter into a supported decision-making agreement with a
11supporter, that adult may, in the agreement, authorize the supporter to do any of the
12following:
AB655,4,1613 (a) Provide supported decision-making to the adult with a functional
14impairment, including assistance in understanding the options, responsibilities,
15and consequences of that person's life decisions, without making those decisions on
16behalf of that person.
AB655,4,1917 (b) Assist the adult with a functional impairment in accessing, collecting, and
18obtaining information that is relevant to a given life decision, including medical,
19psychological, financial, educational, or treatment records, from any person.
AB655,4,2120 (c) Assist the adult with a functional impairment in understanding the
21information described in par. (b).
AB655,4,2322 (d) Assist the adult with a functional impairment in communicating the adult's
23decisions to appropriate persons.
AB655,5,2 24(2) A supporter is not a surrogate decision maker for the adult with a functional
25impairment and does not have the authority to sign legal documents on behalf of the

1adult with a functional impairment or bind the adult with a functional impairment
2to a legal agreement.
AB655,5,4 353.12 Authority of supporter. A supporter may exercise the authority
4granted to the supporter in the supported decision-making agreement.
AB655,5,7 553.14 Term of agreement; revocation. (1) Except as otherwise provided
6in this section, a supported decision-making agreement extends until terminated by
7either party or by the terms of the agreement.
AB655,5,9 8(2) A supported decision-making agreement is terminated if any of the
9following are true:
AB655,5,1110 (a) County adult protective services substantiated an allegation of neglect or
11abuse by the supporter.
AB655,5,1212 (b) The supporter is found criminally liable for conduct described under par. (a).
AB655,5,1413 (c) There is a restraining order against the supporter as described under s.
14813.123.
AB655,5,17 15(3) An adult with a functional impairment may revoke his or her supported
16decision-making agreement and invalidate the supported decision-making
17agreement at any time by doing any of the following:
AB655,5,2118 (a) Canceling, defacing, obliterating, burning, tearing, or otherwise destroying
19the supported decision-making agreement or directing another in the presence of
20the adult with a functional impairment to so destroy the supported decision-making
21agreement.
AB655,5,2422 (b) Executing a statement, in writing, that is signed and dated by the adult with
23a functional impairment, expressing his or her intent to revoke the supported
24decision-making agreement.
AB655,6,2
1(c) Verbally expressing the intent of the adult with a functional impairment to
2revoke the supported decision-making agreement, in the presence of 2 witnesses.
AB655,6,5 3(4) Unless the supported decision-making agreement provides a different
4method for the supporter's resignation, a supporter may resign by giving notice to
5the adult with a functional impairment.
AB655,6,9 653.16 Access to personal information. (1) A supporter is only authorized
7to assist the adult with a functional impairment in accessing, collecting, or obtaining
8information that is relevant to a decision authorized under the supported
9decision-making agreement.
AB655,6,17 10(2) A supporter may assist with accessing or obtaining any information that
11will help the adult with a functional impairment make health care decisions,
12including medical, psychological, financial, education, or treatment records or
13research under ss. 51.30 and 146.83 and the federal Health Insurance Portability
14and Accountability Act of 1996, 45 CFR 164.502. A supporter may only access or
15obtain patient health care records, as defined under s. 146.81 (4), if the adult with
16a functional impairment has signed a release allowing the supporter to see protected
17health information, as defined under s. 146.816 (1) (f).
AB655,6,21 18(3) A supporter may assist with accessing or obtaining any information on
19education records under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
201974, 20 USC 1232g, if the adult with a functional impairment has signed a release
21allowing the supporter to access information under this subsection.
AB655,6,24 22(4) The supporter shall ensure the information under this section is kept
23privileged and confidential, as applicable, and is not subject to unauthorized access,
24use, or disclosure.
AB655,7,3
1(5) Notwithstanding the existence of a supported decision-making agreement,
2an adult with a functional impairment continues to have unrestricted access to
3personal information without the assistance of a supporter.
AB655,7,7 4(6) Notwithstanding the existence of a supported decision-making agreement,
5an adult with a functional impairment is able to request and receive assistance on
6any decision that is not covered under the supported decision-making agreement at
7any time.
AB655,7,11 853.18 Authorization and witnesses. (1) An adult with a functional
9impairment and his or her supporter entering into a supported decision-making
10agreement must sign and date the agreement in the presence of 2 or more subscribing
11witnesses or a notary public.
AB655,7,14 12(2) If the adult with a functional impairment and his or her supporter choose
13to sign and date the supported decision-making agreement before witnesses, the
14attesting witnesses must be at least 18 years of age.
AB655,7,18 1553.20 Supported decision-making agreement instrument; form. (1) A
16supported decision-making agreement is valid if it is in writing, entered into
17voluntarily as described under s. 53.10, signed and dated as described under s. 53.18,
18and in substantially the following form:
AB655,7,2119 SUPPORTED
20 DECISION-MAKING AGREEMENT
21 APPOINTMENT OF SUPPORTER
AB655,7,2222 I, .... (insert name), make this agreement voluntarily and of my own free will.
AB655,7,2323 I agree and designate that
AB655,7,2424 Name of supporter ....
AB655,7,2525 Address of supporter ....
AB655,8,1
1E-mail address of supporter ....
AB655,8,22 Phone number(s) of supporter ....
AB655,8,53 is my supporter. For the following everyday life decisions, if I have checked
4“Yes,” my supporter may help me with that type of decision, but if I have checked
5“No,” my supporter may not help me with that type of decision:
AB655,8,66 Obtaining food, clothing, and shelter — Yes.... No....
AB655,8,77 Taking care of my physical health — Yes.... No....
AB655,8,88 Managing my financial affairs — Yes.... No....
AB655,8,99 Taking care of my mental health — Yes.... No....
AB655,8,1010 Applying for public benefits — Yes.... No....
AB655,8,1211 Assistance with seeking vocational rehabilitation services and other vocational
12supports — Yes.... No....
AB655,8,1413 The following are other decisions I have specifically identified that I would like
14assistance with ....
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