SB418: Bill Text

SB418,36 Section 36 . 48.396 (2) (ap) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,22,15 48.396 (2) (ap) Upon the written permission of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child expectant mother of an unborn child who is the subject of a record of a court specified in par. (a), or of an expectant mother of an unborn child who is the subject of a record of a court specified in par. (a), if 14 years of age or over, and of the unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem, the court shall open for inspection by the person named in the permission any records specifically identified by the parent, guardian, legal custodian, or expectant mother, and unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem in the written permission, unless the court finds, after due notice and hearing, that inspection of those records by the person named in the permission would result in imminent danger to anyone.

SB418,37 Section 37 . 48.396 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,22,23 48.396 (5) (b) The court shall notify the child, the child's counsel, the child's parents, appropriate law enforcement agencies, and, if the child is an expectant mother of an unborn child under s. 48.133, the unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem, or shall notify the adult expectant mother, the unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem, and appropriate law enforcement agencies, in writing of the petition. If any person notified objects to the disclosure, the court may hold a hearing to take evidence relating to the petitioner's need for the disclosure.

SB418,38 Section 38 . 48.46 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,23,8 48.46 (1) Except as provided in subs. (1m), (2), and (3), the child whose status is adjudicated by the court, the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of that child, the guardian ad litem of an unborn child whose status is adjudicated by the court, or the expectant mother of that unborn child may at any time within one year after the entering of the court's order petition the court for a rehearing on the ground that new evidence has been discovered affecting the advisability of the court's original adjudication. Upon a showing that such evidence does exist, the court shall order a new hearing.

Note: Sections 2 to 32, 37 , and 38 modify provisions of the Children's Code relating to proceedings in which an unborn child is alleged to be in need of protection or services so that notices must be given to and rights must be exercised by the unborn child's guardian ad litem instead of by the unborn child through the unborn child's guardian ad litem.

SB418,39 Section 39. 48.675 of the statutes is repealed.

Note: Repeals a statute that requires the Department of Children and Families to develop a voluntary foster parent education program for foster parents who provide care for children with special treatment needs.

SB418,40 Section 40. 48.685 (5) (br) 3m. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,23,16 48.685 (5) (br) 3m. Except for purposes of permitting a person to be a nonclient resident or caregiver specified in sub. (1) (ag) 1. a. of a child care center or child care provider, a violation of s. 943.201, 943.203, 943.32 (2), or 943.38 (1) or (2); a violation of s. 943.34 (1), 943.395 (1), 943.41 (3) (e), (4) (a), (5), (6), or (6m), 943.45 (1), 943.455 (2), 943.46 (2), 943.47 (2), 943.50 (1m), or 943.70 (2) (a) or (am) or (3) (a) that is a felony; or an offense under subch. IV of ch. 943 that is a felony.

Note: Removes the reference to armed robbery in violation of s. 943.32 (2), stats., from s. 48.685 (5) (br) 3m., stats. The reference is redundant insofar as that crime is also referenced in s. 48.685 (5) (br) 3., stats. A review of the drafting record for 2009 Wisconsin Act 76 indicates that a reference to s. 943.32 (2), stats., was already included in s. 48.685 (5) (br) 3., stats., when s. 48.685 (5) (br) 3m., stats., was drafted and that, therefore, the inclusion of the reference to s. 943.32 (2), stats., in s. 48.685 (5) (br) 3m., was done in error.

SB418,41 Section 41 . 48.78 (2) (aj) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,24,10 48.78 (2) (aj) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from making available for inspection or disclosing the contents of a record, upon the request of a parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child expectant mother of an unborn child who is the subject of the record, upon the request of an expectant mother of an unborn child who is the subject of the record, if 14 years of age or over, or upon the request of an unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem , to the parent, guardian, legal custodian, expectant mother, or unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem, unless the agency determines that inspection of the record by the parent, guardian, legal custodian, expectant mother, or unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem would result in imminent danger to anyone.

SB418,42 Section 42 . 48.78 (2) (ap) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,24,21 48.78 (2) (ap) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from making available for inspection or disclosing the contents of a record, upon the written permission of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child expectant mother of an unborn child who is the subject of the record, or of an expectant mother of an unborn child who is the subject of the record, if 14 years of age or over, and of the unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem, to the person named in the permission if the parent, guardian, legal custodian, or expectant mother, and unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem, specifically identify the record in the written permission, unless the agency determines that inspection of the record by the person named in the permission would result in imminent danger to anyone.

Note: Sections 33 to 36, 41 , and 42 provide that law enforcement, juvenile court, and agency records governed by the Children's Code may be released to certain persons upon the request or with the permission of an unborn child's guardian ad litem instead of upon the request or with the permission of the unborn child by the unborn child's guardian ad litem.

SB418,43 Section 43. 48.981 (3) (c) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,25,23 48.981 (3) (c) 1. a. Immediately after receiving a report under par. (a), the agency shall evaluate the report to determine whether there is reason to suspect that a caregiver has abused or neglected the child, has threatened the child with abuse or neglect, or has facilitated or failed to take action to prevent the suspected or threatened abuse or neglect of the child. Except as provided in sub. (3m), if the agency determines that a caregiver is suspected of abuse or neglect or of threatened abuse or neglect of the child, determines that a caregiver is suspected of facilitating or failing to take action to prevent the suspected or threatened abuse or neglect of the child, or cannot determine who abused or neglected the child identify an individual who is suspected of abuse or neglect or of threatened abuse or neglect of the child, within 24 hours after receiving the report the agency shall, in accordance with the authority granted to the department under s. 48.48 (17) (a) 1. or the county department under s. 48.57 (1) (a), initiate a diligent investigation to determine if the child is in need of protection or services. If the agency determines that a person who is not a caregiver is suspected of abuse or of threatened abuse, the agency may, in accordance with that authority, initiate a diligent investigation to determine if the child is in need or protection or services. Within 24 hours after receiving a report under par. (a) of suspected unborn child abuse, the agency, in accordance with that authority, shall initiate a diligent investigation to determine if the unborn child is in need of protection or services. An investigation under this subd. 1. a. shall be conducted in accordance with standards established by the department for conducting child abuse and neglect investigations or unborn child abuse investigations.

Note: Under current law, if an agency that investigates a report of alleged child abuse or neglect cannot determine who abused or neglected the child, the agency must initiate a diligent investigation to determine if the child is in need of protection or services within 24 hours after receiving the report. This Section instead requires an investigation to be initiated within 24 hours after receiving such a report if the agency cannot identify an individual who is suspected of abuse or neglect or of threatened abuse or neglect of the child.

SB418,44 Section 44. 49.155 (1m) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,26,10 49.155 (1m) (a) 4. If the Wisconsin works agency determines that basic education would facilitate the individual's efforts to maintain employment, participate Participate in basic education, including an English as a 2nd language course; literacy tutoring; or a course of study meeting the standards established by the state superintendent of public instruction under s. 115.29 (4) for the granting of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation, if the department or the county department or agency determining eligibility determines that basic education would facilitate the individual's efforts to maintain employment. An individual may receive aid under this subdivision for up to 2 years.

SB418,45 Section 45. 49.155 (1m) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,26,17 49.155 (1m) (a) 5. Participate in a course of study at a technical college, or participate in educational courses that provide an employment skill, as determined by the department, if the Wisconsin works department or the county department or agency determining eligibility determines that the course or courses would facilitate the individual's efforts to maintain employment. An individual may receive aid under this subdivision for up to 2 years.

Note: Provides that the Department of Children and Families or a county department or agency may determine for purposes of eligibility for a Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy that certain educational activities would facilitate the individual's efforts to maintain employment. This change reflects that, under current law, the department or a county department or agency with which the department contracts determines eligibility for the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy program.

SB418,46 Section 46. 49.854 (5) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,27,20 49.854 (5) (f) Hearings. A hearing requested under par. (d) 6. shall be conducted before the circuit court rendering the order to pay support. Within 45 business days after receiving a request for hearing under par. (d) 6., the court shall conduct the hearing. A circuit court commissioner may conduct the hearing. The hearing shall be limited to a review of whether the account holder owes the amount of support certified and whether any alternative payment arrangement offered by the department or the county child support agency is reasonable. If the court or circuit court commissioner makes a written determination that an alternative payment arrangement offered by the department or county child support agency is not reasonable, the court or circuit court commissioner may order an alternative payment arrangement. If the court or circuit court commissioner orders an alternative payment arrangement, the court or circuit court commissioner shall order the department to instruct the financial institution to release all or a portion of the funds. If the court or circuit court commissioner determines that the account holder does not owe support or owes less than the amount claimed by the department, the court shall order the department to return the seized funds instruct the financial institution to release the funds in the account or the excess of the seized those funds over the amount of the delinquency to the account holder. If a circuit court commissioner conducts the hearing under this paragraph, the department or the obligor may, within 15 business days after the date that the circuit court commissioner makes his or her decision, request review of the decision by the court with jurisdiction over the action.

Note: In a hearing relating to a levy against a delinquent obligor's financial account, provides that the court may order the department to instruct the financial institution to release all or a portion of the funds, instead of ordering the department to release the funds.

SB418,47 Section 47. 69.15 (3) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,28,9 69.15 (3) (b) 3. Except as provided under par. (c), if the state registrar receives a statement acknowledging paternity on a form prescribed by the state registrar and signed by both parents, and by a parent or legal guardian of any parent who is neither of whom was under the age of 18 years when the form was signed, along with the fee under s. 69.22, the state registrar shall insert the name of the father under subd. 1. The state registrar shall mark the certificate to show that the form is on file. The form shall be available to the department of children and families or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) pursuant to the program responsibilities under s. 49.22 or to any other person with a direct and tangible interest in the record. The state registrar shall include on the form for the acknowledgment the information in s. 767.805 and the items in s. 767.813 (5g).

Note: Modifies the statute relating to inserting the name of a father on a birth certificate pursuant to an acknowledgment of paternity so that it is consistent with current law, under which a minor father may not sign an acknowledgment of paternity.

SB418,48 Section 48 . 69.15 (3m) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,28,15 69.15 (3m) (a) 3. Except as provided in subd. 4., the The person rescinding the statement files the document under subd. 2. before the day on which a court or circuit court commissioner makes an order in an action affecting the family involving the man who signed the statement and the child who is the subject of the statement or before 60 days elapse after the statement was filed, whichever occurs first.

SB418,49 Section 49. 69.15 (3m) (a) 4. of the statutes is repealed.

SB418,50 Section 50 . 69.15 (3m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,28,22 69.15 (3m) (b) If the state registrar, within the time required under par. (a) 3. or 4., whichever is appropriate, receives a document prescribed by the state registrar for rescinding a statement acknowledging paternity under sub. (3) (b) 3., along with the proper fee under s. 69.22, the state registrar shall prepare under sub. (6) a new certificate omitting the father's name if it was inserted under sub. (3) (b).

Note: Sections 48 and 50 modify the statute relating to rescinding a statement acknowledging paternity so that it is consistent with current law, under which a minor father may not sign a statement acknowledging paternity.

SB418,51 Section 51. 767.805 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,29,5 767.805 (3) (b) Except as provided in s. 767.407, in an action specified in par. (a) the court may appoint a guardian ad litem for the child and shall appoint a guardian ad litem for a party who is a minor, unless the minor party is represented by an attorney.

Note: Removes a reference to appointing a guardian ad litem for a minor party in an action to establish child custody and placement for a father who has acknowledged paternity because a minor may not acknowledge paternity under current law.

SB418,52 Section 52. 767.813 (5) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,29,9 767.813 (5) (a) 4. You are also notified that interference with the custody of a child is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to 5 3 years and 6 months. Section 948.31, stats.

Note: Changes the form for a summons in a paternity action to correctly reflect that interfering with the custody of a child may be punished by imprisonment not to exceed 3 years and 6 months instead of 5 years.

SB418,53 Section 53. 767.865 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB418,29,16 767.865 (1) (a) The personal representative or, if there is no personal representative, a guardian ad litem appointed in accordance with par. (b) may appear for a deceased respondent whenever an appearance by the respondent is required. The summons and petition shall be served on the deceased respondent's personal representative of and or guardian ad litem for the deceased respondent, as the case may be, under s. 767.813 (3) (4).

Note: Provides that in a paternity action in which the respondent is deceased, either the personal representative or the guardian ad litem for the deceased respondent must be served with the summons and petition. Under current law, a personal representative or a guardian ad litem may appear for a deceased respondent; however, current law requires both to be served with the summons or petition. Also corrects a cross-reference.

SB418,29,17 (End)