Chapter 48

48.78(2)(e) (e) Notwithstanding par. (a), an agency shall, upon request, disclose information to authorized representatives of the department of corrections, the department of health services, the department of justice, or a district attorney for use in the prosecution of any proceeding or any evaluation conducted under ch. 980, if the information involves or relates to an individual who is the subject of the proceeding or evaluation. The court in which the proceeding under ch. 980 is pending may issue any protective orders that it determines are appropriate concerning information made available or disclosed under this paragraph. Any representative of the department of corrections, the department of health services, the department of justice, or a district attorney may disclose information obtained under this paragraph for any purpose consistent with any proceeding under ch. 980.

48.78(2)(g) (g) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from disclosing information about an individual in its care or legal custody on the written request of the department of safety and professional services or of any interested examining board or affiliated credentialing board in that department for use in any investigation or proceeding relating to any alleged misconduct by any person who is credentialed or who is seeking credentialing under ch. 448, 455 or 457. Unless authorized by an order of the court, the department of safety and professional services and any examining board or affiliated credentialing board in that department shall keep confidential any information obtained under this paragraph and may not disclose the name of or any other identifying information about the individual who is the subject of the information disclosed, except to the extent that redisclosure of that information is necessary for the conduct of the investigation or proceeding for which that information was obtained.

48.78(2)(h) (h) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit the department, a county department, or a licensed child welfare agency from entering the content of any record kept or information received by the department, county department, or licensed child welfare agency into the statewide automated child welfare information system established under s. 48.47 (7g) or the department from transferring any information maintained in that system to the court under s. 48.396 (3) (bm). If the department transfers that information to the court, the court and the director of state courts may allow access to that information as provided in s. 48.396 (3) (c) 2.

48.78(2)(i) (i) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from disclosing information to a relative of a child placed outside of his or her home only to the extent necessary to facilitate the establishment of a relationship between the child and the relative or a placement of the child with the relative or from disclosing information under s. 48.21 (5) (e), 48.355 (2) (cm), or 48.357 (2v) (d). In this paragraph, “relative” includes a relative whose relationship is derived through a parent of the child whose parental rights are terminated.

48.78(2)(j) (j) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit an agency from disclosing information to any public or private agency in this state or any other state that is investigating a person for purposes of licensing the person to operate a foster home or placing a child for adoption in the home of the person.

48.78(2)(k) (k) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit the department of children and families from providing to the department of revenue, upon request, information concerning a recipient of payments under s. 48.57 (3m) or (3n) or aid under s. 48.645, including information contained in the electronic records of the department of children and families, solely for the purposes of administering state taxes, including verifying a claim for a state tax refund or a refundable state tax credit, and collecting debts owed to the department of revenue. Any information obtained by the department of revenue under this paragraph is subject to the confidentiality provisions specified in s. 71.78.

48.78(2)(L) (L)

48.78(2)(L)1. 1. In this paragraph, “qualified independent researcher” means a faculty member of a university who satisfies all of the following:

48.78(2)(L)1.a. a. The faculty member has an approved protocol from an institutional review board for human subjects research to work with data containing personal information for the purposes of evaluating the program under s. 119.23.

48.78(2)(L)1.b. b. The faculty member has received from the state and properly managed data containing personal information for the purposes of evaluating the program under s. 119.23 before July 14, 2015.

48.78(2)(L)2. 2. Notwithstanding par. (a), the department shall permit a qualified independent researcher to have access to any database maintained by the department for the purpose of cross-matching information contained in any such database with a database that both is in the possession of the qualified independent researcher and contains information regarding pupils participating in the program under s. 119.23. The department may charge a fee to the qualified independent researcher for the information that does not exceed the cost incurred by the department to provide the information.

48.78(2m) (2m) Release of information when child is missing.

48.78(2m)(a) (a) If an agency that has responsibility for the placement, care, or supervision of a child, as determined by the department under par. (d), determines that the child is missing, the agency shall do all of the following:

48.78(2m)(a)1. 1. Within 8 hours after making that determination, report that determination to a local law enforcement agency for entry of that information into the national crime information databases, as defined in 28 USC 534 (f) (3) (A).

48.78(2m)(a)2. 2. Within 24 hours after making that determination, report that determination to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

48.78(2m)(a)3. 3. Share information about a missing child reported under subds. 1. and 2. with law enforcement agencies, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and other agencies that are involved in efforts to locate the missing child.

48.78(2m)(b) (b) An agency that has responsibility for the placement, care, or supervision of a child may photograph the child and maintain the photograph in the statewide automated child welfare information system. A report under par. (a) 1. or 2. shall be accompanied by a recent photograph of the missing child, if available.

48.78(2m)(c) (c) If permitted under s. 48.47 (7g), an agency may use the statewide automated child welfare information system to provide electronic information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children under par. (a) 2. or 3.

48.78(2m)(d) (d) The department shall provide guidance to agencies as to the scope of the children to whom this subsection applies. Notwithstanding s. 227.10 (1), that guidance need not be promulgated as rules.

48.78(2m)(e) (e) The department of children and families and the department of health services may promulgate rules to implement this subsection.

48.78 History History: 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 359; 1983 a. 471 s. 7; 1985 a. 29 s. 3202 (23); 1985 a. 176, 292, 332; 1987 a. 332; 1989 a. 31, 107, 336; 1991 a. 17, 39; 1993 a. 16, 92, 95, 218, 227, 377, 385, 395, 479, 491; 1995 a. 27 ss. 2610 to 2614p, 9126 (19); 1995 a. 77, 230, 352; 1997 a. 205, 207, 283, 292; 2001 a. 38, 69, 104, 109; 2005 a. 25, 293, 344, 406, 434; 2007 a. 20 ss. 1364, 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 79, 185, 302, 338; 2011 a. 32, 260, 270; 2013 a. 20, 170, 334; 2015 a. 55, 368; 2017 a. 257.

48.78 Annotation The juvenile court must make a threshold relevancy determination by an in camera review when confronted with: 1) a discovery request under s. 48.293 (2); 2) an inspection request of juvenile records under ss. 48.396 (2) and 938.396 (2); or 3) an inspection request of agency records under sub. (2) (a) and s. 938.78 (2) (a). The test for permissible discovery is whether the information sought appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. Courtney F. v. Ramiro M.C., 2004 WI App 36, 269 Wis. 2d 709, 676 N.W.2d 545, 03-3018.

subch. XVIII of ch. 48 SUBCHAPTER XVIII

COMMUNITY SERVICES

48.79 48.79 Powers of the department. The department has authority and power:

48.79(4) (4) To assist communities in setting up recreational commissions and to assist them in extending and broadening recreational programs so as to reach all children.

48.79(5) (5) To assist in extending the local child care programs so as to reach all homes needing such help.

48.79(6) (6) To assist in recruiting and training voluntary leaders for youth-serving organizations.

48.79(7) (7) To assist localities in securing needed specialized services such as medical, psychiatric, psychological and social work services when existing agencies are not able to supply them.

48.79(8) (8) To assist localities in making surveys of needs and available resources.

48.79(9) (9) To assist in appraising the achievement of local programs.

48.79(10) (10) To serve in a general consultative capacity, acting as a clearing house, developing materials, arranging conferences and participating in public addresses and radio programs.

48.79 History History: 1989 a. 31, 107; 1995 a. 27, 77.

48.80 48.80 Municipalities may sponsor activities.

48.80(1) (1) Any municipality is hereby authorized and empowered to sponsor the establishment and operation of any committee, agency or council for the purpose of coordinating and supplementing the activities of public and private agencies devoted in whole or in part to the welfare of youth therein. Any municipality may appropriate, raise and expend funds for the purpose of establishing and of providing an executive staff to such committees, agencies or councils; may levy taxes and appropriate money for recreation and welfare projects; and may also receive and expend moneys from the state or federal government or private persons for such purposes.

48.80(2) (2) No provision of this section shall be construed as vesting in any youth committee, council or agency any power, duty or function enjoined by law upon any municipal officer, board or department or as vesting in such committee, council or agency any supervisory or other authority over such officer, board or department.

48.80(3) (3) In this section municipality means a county, city, village or town.

subch. XIX of ch. 48 SUBCHAPTER XIX

ADOPTION OF MINORS; GUARDIANSHIP

48.81 48.81 Who may be adopted. Any child who is present in this state at the time the petition for adoption is filed may be adopted if any of the following criteria are met:

48.81(1) (1) Both of the child’s parents are deceased.

48.81(2) (2) The parental rights of both of the child’s parents with respect to the child have been terminated under subch. VIII or in another state or a foreign jurisdiction.

48.81(3) (3) The parental rights of one of the child’s parents with respect to the child have been terminated under subch. VIII or in another state or a foreign jurisdiction and the child’s other parent is deceased.

48.81(4) (4) The person filing the petition for adoption is the spouse of the child’s parent with whom the child and the child’s parent reside and either of the following applies:

48.81(4)(a) (a) The child’s other parent is deceased.

48.81(4)(b) (b) The parental rights of the child’s other parent with respect to the child have been terminated under subch. VIII or in another state or a foreign jurisdiction.

48.81(5) (5) Section 48.839 (3) (b) applies.

48.81(6) (6) The child is being adopted under s. 48.97 (3).

48.81 History History: 1987 a. 383; 1989 a. 161; 1997 a. 104; 2015 a. 380.

48.81 Note NOTE: 1997 Wis. Act 104, which affected this section, contains explanatory notes.

48.81 Annotation Under this section, the nonmarital partner of a child’s biological parent is not eligible to adopt the child because the nonmarital partner is not the biological parent’s spouse. That legislative limit on eligibility to adopt a child does not violate the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A.M.B. v. Circuit Court, 2024 WI 18, 411 Wis. 2d 389, 5 N.W.3d 238, 22-1334.

48.82 48.82 Who may adopt.

48.82(1) (1) The following persons are eligible to adopt a minor if they are residents of this state:

48.82(1)(a) (a) A husband and wife jointly, or either the husband or wife if the other spouse is a parent of the minor.

48.82(1)(b) (b) An unmarried adult.

48.82(3) (3) When practicable and if requested by the birth parent, the adoptive parents shall be of the same religious faith as the birth parents of the person to be adopted.

48.82(4) (4) No person may be denied the benefits of this subchapter because of a religious belief in the use of spiritual means through prayer for healing.

48.82(5) (5) Although otherwise qualified, no person shall be denied the benefits of this section because the person is deaf, blind or has other physical handicaps.

48.82(6) (6) No otherwise qualified person may be denied the benefits of this subchapter because of his or her race, color, ancestry or national origin.

48.82 History History: 1981 c. 359 s. 16; 1983 a. 350; 1989 a. 161; 1991 a. 316.

48.82 Annotation Standing to object to adoption proceedings turns on the right to petition for adoption; grandparents excluded from petitioning under s. 48.90 (1) (a) had no standing to object to the adoption of their grandchildren. L.P. v. B.G., 177 Wis. 2d 424, 501 N.W.2d 908 (Ct. App. 1993).

48.825 48.825 Advertising related to adoption.

48.825(1) (1) In this section:

48.825(1)(a) (a) “Advertise” means to communicate by any public medium that originates within this state, including by newspaper, periodical, telephone book listing, outdoor advertising sign, radio, or television, or by any computerized communication system, including by electronic mail, Internet site, Internet account, or any similar medium of communication provided via the Internet.

48.825(1)(b) (b) “Another jurisdiction” means a state of the United States other than Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or an Indian tribe.

48.825(1)(c) (c) “Internet account” means an account created within a bounded system established by an Internet-based service that requires a user to input or store access information in an electronic device in order to view, create, use, or edit the user’s account information, profile, display, communications, or stored data.

48.825(2) (2) Except as provided in sub. (3), no person may do any of the following:

48.825(2)(a) (a) Advertise for the purpose of finding a child to adopt or to otherwise take into permanent physical custody.

48.825(2)(b) (b) Advertise that the person will find an adoptive home or any other permanent physical placement for a child or arrange for or assist in the adoption, adoptive placement, or any other permanent physical placement of a child.

48.825(2)(c) (c) Advertise that the person will place a child for adoption or in any other permanent physical placement.

48.825(3) (3) This section does not apply to any of the following:

48.825(3)(a) (a) The department, a county department, or a child welfare agency licensed under s. 48.60 to place children for adoption, in licensed foster homes or group homes, or in the homes of guardians under s. 48.977 (2).

48.825(3)(b) (b) An individual or agency providing adoption information under s. 48.55.

48.825(3)(c) (c) A foster care and adoption resource center funded by this state or a postadoption resource center funded by this state.

48.825(3)(d) (d) An individual who has received a favorable recommendation regarding his or her fitness to be an adoptive parent in this state from the department, a county department or a child welfare agency licensed under s. 48.60 or in another jurisdiction from an entity authorized by that jurisdiction to conduct studies of potential adoptive homes.

48.825(3m) (3m) No person may publish by a public medium an advertisement that violates this section. If the owner, agent, or employee of the public medium receives a copy of the license of the person or agency requesting the advertisement that indicates that the person or agency is licensed to provide adoption services in this state, there is a rebuttable presumption that the advertisement does not violate this section.

48.825(4) (4) Nothing in this section prohibits an attorney licensed to practice in this state from advertising his or her availability to practice or provide services relating to the adoption of children.

48.825(5) (5) Any person who violates sub. (2) or (3m) may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than 9 months or both.

48.825 History History: 1997 a. 104; 1999 a. 9; 2005 a. 293; 2009 a. 94; 2013 a. 314.

48.825 Note NOTE: 1997 Wis. Act 104, which affected this section, contains explanatory notes.

48.83 48.83 Jurisdiction and venue.

48.83(1) (1) Except as provided in s. 48.028 (3) (b), the court of the county where the proposed adoptive parent or child resides or the court of the county where a petition for termination of parental rights to the child was filed or granted under subch. VIII, upon the filing with that court of a petition for adoption or for the adoptive placement of a child, has jurisdiction over the child until the petition is withdrawn, denied, or granted. Venue in a proceeding for adoption or adoptive placement of a child shall be in the county where the proposed adoptive parent or child resides at the time the petition is filed or in the county where a petition for termination of parental rights to the child was filed or granted under subch. VIII. The court may transfer the case to a court in the county in which the proposed adoptive parents reside.

48.83(2) (2) If the adoption is denied, jurisdiction over the child shall immediately revert to the court which appointed the guardian, unless the appointing court is a court of another state or foreign jurisdiction, in which case the court of the county where the child is shall have jurisdiction.

48.83 History History: 1975 c. 39; 1977 c. 449 s. 497; 1981 c. 81, 391; 1989 a. 161; 2009 a. 94; 2015 a. 378.

48.831 48.831 Appointment of guardian for child without a living parent for adoptability finding.

48.831(1) (1) Type of guardianship. This section may be used for the appointment of a guardian of a child who does not have a living parent if a finding as to the adoptability of a child is sought. Except as provided in ss. 48.977 and 48.978, s. 48.9795 applies to the appointment of a guardian for a child who does not have a living parent for all other purposes. An appointment of a guardian of the estate of a child who does not have a living parent shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures specified in ch. 54.

48.831(1m) (1m) Petition. Any of the following may file a petition for appointment of a guardian for a child who is believed to be in need of protection or services because he or she is without a living parent as described under s. 48.13 (1):

48.831(1m)(a) (a) The department.

48.831(1m)(b) (b) A county department.