AB557,77157Section 77. 48.57 (3p) (h) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,15815848.57 (3p) (h) 4. If the director of the county department, the person designated by the governing body of the Indian tribe or, in a county having a population of 750,000 or more, the person designated by the secretary determines that the conviction record on which the denial of payments or the prohibition on employment or being an adult resident is based does not include any arrests, convictions, or penalties that are likely to adversely affect the child or the ability of the kinship care relative provider to care for the child, the director of the county department, the person designated by the governing body of the Indian tribe, or the person designated by the secretary may approve the making of payments under sub. (3m) or may permit a person receiving payments under sub. (3m) to employ a person in a position in which that person would have regular contact with the child for whom payments are being made or permit a person to be an adult resident.
AB557,78159Section 78. 48.60 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,16016048.60 (2) (a) A relative or like-kin, guardian, or person delegated care and custody of a child under s. 48.979 who provides care and maintenance for such children.
AB557,79161Section 79. 48.62 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,16216248.62 (2) A relative or like-kin, a guardian of a child, or a person delegated care and custody of a child under s. 48.979 who provides care and maintenance for the child is not required to obtain the license specified in this section. The department, county department, or licensed child welfare agency as provided in s. 48.75 may issue a license to operate a foster home to a relative or like-kin who has no duty of support under s. 49.90 (1) (a) and who requests a license to operate a foster home for a specific child who is either placed by court order or who is the subject of a voluntary placement agreement under s. 48.63. The department, a county department, or a licensed child welfare agency may, at the request of a guardian appointed under s. 48.977, 48.978, or 48.9795, ch. 54, 2017 stats., or ch. 880, 2003 stats., license the guardian’s home as a foster home for the guardian’s minor ward who is living in the home and who is placed in the home by court order. Relatives and like-kin with no duty of support and guardians appointed under s. 48.977, 48.978, or 48.9795, ch. 54, 2017 stats., or ch. 880, 2003 stats., who are licensed to operate foster homes are subject to the department’s licensing rules.
AB557,80163Section 80. 48.64 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,16416448.64 (1) Definition. In this section, “agency” means the department, the department of corrections, a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23, or a licensed child welfare agency authorized to place children in foster homes, group homes, or shelter care facilities approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) or, in the homes of relatives other than a parent, or in the homes of like-kin.
AB557,81165Section 81. 48.64 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,16616648.64 (1m) Out-of-home care agreements. If an agency places a child in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin under a court order or places a child in a foster home, group home, or shelter care facility approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) under a voluntary agreement under s. 48.63, the agency shall enter into a written agreement with the head of the home or facility. The agreement shall provide that the agency shall have access at all times to the child and the home or facility, and that the child will be released to the agency whenever, in the opinion of the agency placing the child or the department, the best interests of the child require release to the agency. If a child has been in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin for 6 months or more, the agency shall give the head of the home written notice of intent to remove the child, stating the reasons for the removal. The child may not be removed from a foster home, group home, or home of a relative other than a parent or the home of like-kin before completion of the hearing under sub. (4) (a) or (c), if requested, or 30 days after the receipt of the notice, whichever is later, unless the safety of the child requires it or, in a case in which the reason for removal is to place the child for adoption under s. 48.833, unless all of the persons who have the right to request a hearing under sub. (4) (a) or (c) sign written waivers of objection to the proposed removal. If the safety of the child requires earlier removal, s. 48.19 applies. If an agency removes a child from an adoptive placement, the head of the home shall have no claim against the placing agency for the expense of care, clothing, or medical treatment.
AB557,82167Section 82. 48.64 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,16816848.64 (2) Supervision of out-of-home care placements. Every child who is placed in a foster home, group home, or shelter care facility approved under s. 938.22 (2) (c) shall be under the supervision of an agency. Every child who is placed in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin under a court order shall be under the supervision of an agency.
AB557,83169Section 83. 48.64 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,17017048.64 (4) (a) Except as provided in par. (d), any decision or order issued by an agency that affects the head of a foster home or group home, the head of the home of a relative other than a parent or the home of like-kin in which a child is placed, or the child involved may be appealed to the department under fair hearing procedures established under rules promulgated by the department. Upon receipt of an appeal, the department shall give the head of the home reasonable notice and an opportunity for a fair hearing. The department may make any additional investigation that the department considers necessary. The department shall give notice of the hearing to the head of the home and to the departmental subunit, county department, or child welfare agency that issued the decision or order. Each person receiving notice is entitled to be represented at the hearing. At all hearings conducted under this paragraph, the head of the home, or a representative of the head of the home, shall have an adequate opportunity, notwithstanding s. 48.78 (2) (a), to examine all documents and records to be used at the hearing at a reasonable time before the date of the hearing as well as during the hearing, to bring witnesses, to establish all pertinent facts and circumstances, and to question or refute any testimony or evidence, including an opportunity to confront and cross-examine adverse witnesses. The department shall grant a continuance for a reasonable period of time when an issue is raised for the first time during a hearing. This requirement may be waived with the consent of the parties. The decision of the department shall be based exclusively on evidence introduced at the hearing. A transcript of testimony and exhibits, or an official report containing the substance of what transpired at the hearing, together with all papers and requests filed in the proceeding, and the findings of the hearing examiner shall constitute the exclusive record for decision by the department. The department shall make the record available at any reasonable time and at an accessible place to the head of the home or his or her representative. Decisions by the department shall specify the reasons for the decision and identify the supporting evidence. No person participating in an agency action being appealed may participate in the final administrative decision on that action. The department shall render its decision as soon as possible after the hearing and shall send a certified copy of its decision to the head of the home and to the departmental subunit, county department, or child welfare agency that issued the decision or order. The decision shall be binding on all parties concerned.
AB557,84171Section 84. 48.64 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,17217248.64 (4) (c) Except as provided in par. (d), the circuit court for the county where the dispositional order placing a child in a foster home or group home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin was entered or the voluntary agreement under s. 48.63 placing a child in a foster home or group home was made has jurisdiction upon petition of any interested party over the child who is placed in the foster home, group home, or home of the relative or like-kin. The circuit court may call a hearing, at which the head of the home and the supervising agency under sub. (2) shall be present, for the purpose of reviewing any decision or order of that agency involving the placement and care of the child. If the child has been placed in a foster home or in the home of a relative other than a parent or in the home of like-kin, the foster parent or, relative, or like-kin may present relevant evidence at the hearing. The petitioner has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the decision or order issued by the agency is not in the best interests of the child.
AB557,85173Section 85. 48.67 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,17417448.67 (4) (b) The training under par. (a) shall be available to a kinship care relative provider, as defined in s. 48.40 (1m), upon request of the kinship care relative provider.
AB557,86175Section 86. 49.155 (1m) (a) 1m. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,17617649.155 (1m) (a) 1m. b. The individual has not yet attained the age of 18 years and the individual resides with his or her custodial parent or with a kinship care relative provider under s. 48.57 (3m) or with a long-term kinship care relative provider under s. 48.57 (3n) or is in a foster home licensed under s. 48.62, a subsidized guardianship home under s. 48.623, a group home, or an independent living arrangement supervised by an adult.
AB557,87177Section 87. 118.175 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,178178118.175 (1) This section does not apply to a pupil who has a legal custodian, as defined in s. 48.02 (11) or 938.02 (11), or who is cared for by a kinship care relative provider, as defined in s. 48.57 (3m) (a) 2.
AB557,88179Section 88. 767.57 (1m) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,180180767.57 (1m) (cm) A kinship care relative provider or a long-term kinship care relative provider of the child who is entitled to the support money has applied for or is receiving kinship care payments or long-term kinship care payments for that child and there is an assignment to the state under s. 48.57 (3m) (b) 2. or (3n) (b) 2. of the child’s right to the support money.
AB557,89181Section 89. 767.57 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB557,,182182767.57 (2) Procedure if recipient on public assistance. If a party entitled to maintenance or support, or both, is receiving public assistance under ch. 49, the party may assign the party’s right to support or maintenance to the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 granting the assistance. The assignment shall be approved by order of the court granting the maintenance or support. The assignment may not be terminated if there is a delinquency in the amount to be paid to the assignee of maintenance and support previously ordered without the written consent of the assignee or upon notice to the assignee and a hearing. When an assignment of maintenance or support, or both, has been approved by the order, the assignee shall be deemed a real party in interest within s. 803.01 solely for the purpose of securing payment of unpaid maintenance or support ordered to be paid, by participating in proceedings to secure the payment of unpaid amounts. Notwithstanding assignment under this subsection, and without further order of the court, the department or its designee, upon receiving notice that a party or a minor child of the parties is receiving aid under s. 48.645 or public assistance under ch. 49 or that a kinship care relative provider or long-term kinship care relative provider of the minor child is receiving kinship care payments or long-term kinship care payments for the minor child, shall forward all support assigned under s. 48.57 (3m) (b) 2. or (3n) (b) 2., 48.645 (3), 49.19 (4) (h) 1., or 49.45 (19) to the assignee under s. 48.57 (3m) (b) 2. or (3n) (b) 2., 48.645 (3), 49.19 (4) (h) 1., or 49.45 (19).
AB557,90183Section 90. 938.02 (12c) of the statutes is created to read:
AB557,,184184938.02 (12c) “Like-kin” means an individual who has a significant emotional relationship with a child or the child’s family that is similar to a familial relationship and who is not and has not previously been the child’s licensed foster parent. For an Indian child, “like-kin” includes individuals identified by the child’s tribe according to tribal tradition, custom or resolution, code, or law.
AB557,91185Section 91. 938.02 (15) of the statutes is amended to read: