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SB232,20 6Section 20. 48.424 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,14,7 748.424 (title) Fact-finding and dispositional hearing.
SB232,21 8Section 21. 48.424 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,14,119 48.424 (1) (intro.) The purpose of the fact-finding portion of the fact-finding
10and dispositional
hearing is to determine in cases in which the petition was contested
11at the hearing on the petition under s. 48.422 all of the following:
SB232,22 12Section 22. 48.424 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,14,1413 48.424 (2) (intro.) The fact-finding and dispositional hearing shall be
14conducted according to the procedure specified in s. 48.31 except as follows:
SB232,23 15Section 23. 48.424 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,14,2016 48.424 (3) If the facts are determined by a jury, the jury may only The court
17shall
decide whether any grounds for the termination of parental rights have been
18proved and, whether the allegations specified in s. 48.42 (1) (e) have been proved in
19cases involving the involuntary termination of parental rights to an Indian child.
20The court shall decide
, and what disposition is in the best interest of the child.
SB232,24 21Section 24. 48.424 (4) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,15,722 48.424 (4) (intro.) The court shall hear all evidence relevant to the issues under
23sub. (1) and to the issue of disposition under s. 48.427 before making a determination
24of whether the parent is unfit.
If grounds for the termination of parental rights are
25found by the court or jury, the court shall find the parent unfit. A finding of unfitness

1shall not preclude a dismissal of a petition under s. 48.427 (2). Except as provided
2in s. 48.23 (2) (b) 3., the
The court shall then proceed immediately to hear evidence
3and motions related to the dispositions enumerated in
make a disposition under s.
448.427. Except as provided in s. 48.42 (2g) (ag), the court may delay making a
5determination of whether the parent is unfit and making
the disposition and set a
6date for a dispositional hearing
by granting a continuance of no later longer than 45
7days after the fact-finding hearing if any of the following apply:
SB232,25 8Section 25. 48.424 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,15,159 48.424 (5) If the court delays making a determination of whether the parent
10is unfit and making
a permanent disposition under sub. (4), it may transfer
11temporary custody of the child to an agency for placement of the child until the
12fact-finding and dispositional hearing is continued. Placement of an Indian child
13under this subsection shall comply with the order of placement preference under s.
1448.028 (7) (b) or, if applicable, s. 48.028 (7) (c), unless the agency finds good cause,
15as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), for departing from that order.
SB232,26 16Section 26. 48.427 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,16,217 48.427 (1m) In addition to any evidence presented under sub. (1), the court
18shall give the foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) of the
19child a right to be heard at the dispositional portion of the fact-finding and
20dispositional
hearing by permitting the foster parent or other physical custodian to
21make a written or oral statement during the dispositional portion of the fact-finding
22and dispositional
hearing, or to submit a written statement prior to disposition,
23relevant to the issue of disposition. A foster parent or other physical custodian
24described in s. 48.62 (2) who receives notice of a hearing under s. 48.42 (2g) (a) and
25a right to be heard under this subsection does not become a party to the proceeding

1on which the hearing is held solely on the basis of receiving that notice and right to
2be heard.
SB232,27 3Section 27. 48.828 of the statutes is created to read:
SB232,16,9 448.828 Consent to adoption. (1) Except as provided in subs. (2) and (3), a
5person who is eligible to file a declaration of paternal interest in matters affecting
6a child under s. 48.025 and who fails to do so as provided in that section is deemed
7to have irrevocably consented to the adoption of the child and to have disclaimed any
8rights that he may have to the child, including the right to notice of proceedings
9under this subchapter.
SB232,16,10 10(2) Subsection (1) does not apply with respect to the adoption of an Indian child.
SB232,16,12 11(3) Subsection (1) does not apply if, at the time a petition for adoption is filed,
12any of the following applies:
SB232,16,1413 (a) An action or motion to determine if the person is the child's father has been
14filed and has not been resolved.
SB232,16,1715 (b) The person has been acknowledged as the child's father under s. 767.805 or
16a substantially similar law of another state and the acknowledgment has not been
17rescinded.
SB232,16,1818 (c) The person meets the conditions specified in s. 48.423 (2).
SB232,28 19Section 28 . 48.837 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB232,17,320 48.837 (5) Attendance at hearing. The child, if he or she is 12 years of age or
21over, and each petitioner shall attend the hearing on the petition under sub. (2). The
22child, if he or she is 12 years of age or over, and each parent having custody of the child
23shall attend the hearing on the petition under sub. (3), except that a parent who has
24consented to the termination of his or her parental rights in writing under s. 48.41
25(2) (b), (bm), or (d) is not required to attend the hearing
. If the parent who has custody

1of the child consents and the court approves, the proposed adoptive parents may be
2present at the hearing on the petition under sub. (3). The court may, for good cause,
3waive the requirement that the child attend either of the hearings.
SB232,29 4Section 29. 48.913 (1) (em) of the statutes is created to read:
SB232,17,75 48.913 (1) (em) Services provided in connection with the adoption by a private
6child placing agency, as defined in s. 48.99 (2) (p), operating lawfully under the laws
7of another state.
SB232,30 8Section 30. Initial applicability.
SB232,17,149 (1) Elimination of jury trials and combining fact-finding and dispositional
10hearings in termination of parental rights proceedings.
The treatment of ss. 48.31
11(2) and (4), 48.415 (intro.) and (9) (a), 48.422 (1), (4), and (5), 48.424 (title), (1) (intro.),
12(2) (intro.), (3), (4) (intro.), and (5), and 48.427 (1m) first applies to a termination of
13parental rights proceeding in which the initial hearing under s. 48.422 (1) is held on
14the effective date of this subsection.
SB232,17,1815 (2) Termination of parental rights. The treatment of ss. 48.41 (2) (cm), 48.415
16(1) (a) 4. and 5. and (6) (b), 48.42 (2) (b) (intro.), 1., 2., and 3. and (bm) (intro.), 1., and
172., and 48.422 (6) (a) first applies to a termination of parental rights proceeding for
18which the petition is filed on the effective date of this subsection.
SB232,17,2019 (3) Consent to adoption. The treatment of s. 48.828 first applies to an adoption
20for which the petition is filed on the effective date of this subsection.
SB232,17,2121 (End)
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