AB263: Bill Text

AB263,20 Section 20. 48.424 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,14,7 48.424 (title) Fact-finding and dispositional hearing.

AB263,21 Section 21. 48.424 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,14,11 48.424 (1) (intro.) The purpose of the fact-finding portion of the fact-finding and dispositional hearing is to determine in cases in which the petition was contested at the hearing on the petition under s. 48.422 all of the following:

AB263,22 Section 22. 48.424 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,14,14 48.424 (2) (intro.) The fact-finding and dispositional hearing shall be conducted according to the procedure specified in s. 48.31 except as follows:

AB263,23 Section 23. 48.424 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,14,20 48.424 (3) If the facts are determined by a jury, the jury may only The court shall decide whether any grounds for the termination of parental rights have been proved and, whether the allegations specified in s. 48.42 (1) (e) have been proved in cases involving the involuntary termination of parental rights to an Indian child. The court shall decide, and what disposition is in the best interest of the child.

AB263,24 Section 24. 48.424 (4) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,15,7 48.424 (4) (intro.) The court shall hear all evidence relevant to the issues under sub. (1) and to the issue of disposition under s. 48.427 before making a determination of whether the parent is unfit. If grounds for the termination of parental rights are found by the court or jury, the court shall find the parent unfit. A finding of unfitness shall not preclude a dismissal of a petition under s. 48.427 (2). Except as provided in s. 48.23 (2) (b) 3., the The court shall then proceed immediately to hear evidence and motions related to the dispositions enumerated in make a disposition under s. 48.427. Except as provided in s. 48.42 (2g) (ag), the court may delay making a determination of whether the parent is unfit and making the disposition and set a date for a dispositional hearing by granting a continuance of no later longer than 45 days after the fact-finding hearing if any of the following apply:

AB263,25 Section 25. 48.424 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,15,15 48.424 (5) If the court delays making a determination of whether the parent is unfit and making a permanent disposition under sub. (4), it may transfer temporary custody of the child to an agency for placement of the child until the fact-finding and dispositional hearing is continued. Placement of an Indian child under this subsection shall comply with the order of placement preference under s. 48.028 (7) (b) or, if applicable, s. 48.028 (7) (c), unless the agency finds good cause, as described in s. 48.028 (7) (e), for departing from that order.

AB263,26 Section 26. 48.427 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,16,2 48.427 (1m) In addition to any evidence presented under sub. (1), the court shall give the foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) of the child a right to be heard at the dispositional portion of the fact-finding and dispositional hearing by permitting the foster parent or other physical custodian to make a written or oral statement during the dispositional portion of the fact-finding and dispositional hearing, or to submit a written statement prior to disposition, relevant to the issue of disposition. A foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) who receives notice of a hearing under s. 48.42 (2g) (a) and a right to be heard under this subsection does not become a party to the proceeding on which the hearing is held solely on the basis of receiving that notice and right to be heard.

AB263,27 Section 27. 48.828 of the statutes is created to read:

AB263,16,9 48.828 Consent to adoption. (1) Except as provided in subs. (2) and (3), a person who is eligible to file a declaration of paternal interest in matters affecting a child under s. 48.025 and who fails to do so as provided in that section is deemed to have irrevocably consented to the adoption of the child and to have disclaimed any rights that he may have to the child, including the right to notice of proceedings under this subchapter.

AB263,16,10 (2) Subsection (1) does not apply with respect to the adoption of an Indian child.

AB263,16,12 (3) Subsection (1) does not apply if, at the time a petition for adoption is filed, any of the following applies:

AB263,16,14 (a) An action or motion to determine if the person is the child's father has been filed and has not been resolved.

AB263,16,17 (b) The person has been acknowledged as the child's father under s. 767.805 or a substantially similar law of another state and the acknowledgment has not been rescinded.

AB263,16,18 (c) The person meets the conditions specified in s. 48.423 (2).

AB263,28 Section 28 . 48.837 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB263,17,3 48.837 (5) Attendance at hearing. The child, if he or she is 12 years of age or over, and each petitioner shall attend the hearing on the petition under sub. (2). The child, if he or she is 12 years of age or over, and each parent having custody of the child shall attend the hearing on the petition under sub. (3), except that a parent who has consented to the termination of his or her parental rights in writing under s. 48.41 (2) (b), (bm), or (d) is not required to attend the hearing. If the parent who has custody of the child consents and the court approves, the proposed adoptive parents may be present at the hearing on the petition under sub. (3). The court may, for good cause, waive the requirement that the child attend either of the hearings.

AB263,29 Section 29. 48.913 (1) (em) of the statutes is created to read:

AB263,17,7 48.913 (1) (em) Services provided in connection with the adoption by a private child placing agency, as defined in s. 48.99 (2) (p), operating lawfully under the laws of another state.

AB263,30 Section 30. Initial applicability.

AB263,17,14 (1) Elimination of jury trials and combining fact-finding and dispositional hearings in termination of parental rights proceedings. The treatment of ss. 48.31 (2) and (4), 48.415 (intro.) and (9) (a), 48.422 (1), (4), and (5), 48.424 (title), (1) (intro.), (2) (intro.), (3), (4) (intro.), and (5), and 48.427 (1m) first applies to a termination of parental rights proceeding in which the initial hearing under s. 48.422 (1) is held on the effective date of this subsection.

AB263,17,18 (2) Termination of parental rights. The treatment of ss. 48.41 (2) (cm), 48.415 (1) (a) 4. and 5. and (6) (b), 48.42 (2) (b) (intro.), 1., 2., and 3. and (bm) (intro.), 1., and 2., and 48.422 (6) (a) first applies to a termination of parental rights proceeding for which the petition is filed on the effective date of this subsection.

AB263,17,20 (3) Consent to adoption. The treatment of s. 48.828 first applies to an adoption for which the petition is filed on the effective date of this subsection.

AB263,17,21 (End)