Assembly Bill 17
The restoration of information from an original birth certificate after adoption. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Apr 23, 2014. It's .
-
Introduced, passed
Feb 15, 2013
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Assembly vote, passed
Passed Oct 8, 2013
-
Senate vote, passed
Passed Jan 22, 2014
-
Governor, passed
Signed
-
Law, here now
2013 Wisconsin Act 379
Latest entry in the official record, Apr 23, 2014: “Published 4-24-2014”
Following saves it on this device. New actions show on your Following page. You can also get updates in a feed reader.
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
What it does
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, at the time a person is adopted the state registrar must prepare a new birth certificate for the adoptee unless the adoptive parents or the person being adopted objects. The new birth certificate must contain, among other information, the names and personal information of the adoptive parents, unless the court's order of adoption indicates otherwise. When a new certificate is issued, the original certificate is impounded and may be accessed only by court order, with permission of the birth parents, or for processing purposes of the state registrar.
This bill allows an adult who has been adopted to petition the court to order the state registrar to prepare a new birth certificate based on information on the person's original birth certificate if the person did not have the opportunity, at the time of the adoption, to request that a new birth certificate not be prepared; the person knows the identity of each birth parent who is named on his or her original birth certificate;
Read the full summary Show less
and each birth parent who is alive and who is named on the person's original birth certificate does not object to the restoration of the information on the person's original birth certificate. Under the bill, if the court finds that all of those circumstances apply, the court must grant the petition. The state registrar must issue a new birth certificate that uses all of the information from the original birth certificate, if ordered by the court.
A new birth certificate issued under the bill does not affect the legal relationship between the adoptive parents and the adoptee and does not restore any legal rights or legal relationship that terminated at the time of adoption.
Who's behind it
13 lawmakers are its . 7 are Republicans and 6 are Democrats.
3 more lawmakers .
See all 16 names Hide the names
Authors (13)
- Alvin Ott · Republican, Assembly
- Kathleen Bernier · Republican, Senate
- Janet Bewley · Democrat, Senate
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Robb Kahl · Democrat, Assembly
- Steve Kestell · Republican, Assembly
- Dean Knudson · Republican, Assembly
- Daniel LeMahieu · Republican, Assembly
- Nick Milroy · Democrat, Assembly
- Tod Ohnstad · Democrat, Assembly
- Thomas Larson · Republican, Assembly
- Jeremy Thiesfeldt · Republican, Assembly
- Josh Zepnick · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (3)
- Robert Jauch · Democrat, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Mark Miller · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
Versions and amendments
Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.
How lawmakers voted
There were 3 votes on this bill.
Assembly Committee on Family Law vote on an amendment
Passed, 9 to 0 · Jul 30, 2013
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Family Law, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Assembly Committee on Family Law vote to recommend it
Passed, 9 to 0 · Jul 30, 2013
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Family Law, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Dec 20, 2013
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Apr 23, 2014
The new law was published.
-
Apr 23, 2014
The governor signed it. It became 2013 Wisconsin Act 379.
-
Apr 22, 2014
Sent to the governor.
-
Jan 22, 2014
The Senate passed it too.
-
Dec 20, 2013
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
-
Nov 20, 2013
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Oct 9, 2013
Sent to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
-
Oct 9, 2013
The Senate received it.
-
Oct 8, 2013
The Assembly passed it.
-
Oct 8, 2013
The Assembly adopted it.
-
Jul 30, 2013
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Jul 30, 2013
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 9 to 0.
-
Jul 30, 2013
“Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Family Law, Ayes 9, Noes 0” (the official wording)
-
Apr 23, 2013
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Apr 22, 2013
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Mar 6, 2013
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Feb 25, 2013
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Family Law.
-
Feb 15, 2013
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.
-
Feb 15, 2013
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 15, 2013 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives T. Larson, Milroy, Kestell, Bernier, Bewley, Hebl, Kahl, Knudson, LeMahieu, Ohnstad, Thiesfeldt, Zepnick and A. Ott; cosponsored by Senators Jauch, Miller and L. Taylor
- Feb 15, 2013 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Children and Families
- Feb 25, 2013 · Assembly
Withdrawn from committee on Children and Families and referred to committee on Family Law pursuant to Assembly Rule 42 (3)(c)
- Mar 6, 2013 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 15, 2013 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative T. Larson
- Apr 22, 2013 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 23, 2013 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Jul 30, 2013 · Assembly
Executive action taken
- Jul 30, 2013 · Assembly
Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Family Law, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- Jul 30, 2013 · Assembly
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Family Law, Ayes 9, Noes 0
- Jul 30, 2013 · Assembly
Referred to Committee on Rules
- Oct 3, 2013 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 10-8-2013 by Committee on Rules
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Assembly Amendment 1 adopted
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 8, 2013 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 9, 2013 · Senate
Received from Assembly
- Oct 9, 2013 · Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Health and Human Services
- Nov 20, 2013 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Dec 19, 2013 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Dec 20, 2013 · Senate
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Dec 20, 2013 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Jan 16, 2014 · Senate
Placed on calendar 1-22-2014 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Jan 22, 2014 · Senate
Read a second time
- Jan 22, 2014 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Jan 22, 2014 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Jan 22, 2014 · Senate
Read a third time and concurred in
- Jan 22, 2014 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Jan 22, 2014 · Assembly
Received from Senate concurred in
- Feb 4, 2014 · Assembly
Report correctly enrolled on 2-4-2014
- Apr 22, 2014 · Assembly
Presented to the Governor on 4-22-2014
- Apr 23, 2014 · Assembly
Report approved by the Governor on 4-23-2014. 2013 Wisconsin Act 379
- Apr 23, 2014 · Assembly
Published 4-24-2014
Terms on this page
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Wisconsin Act
The number a bill gets when it becomes law, like 2025 Wisconsin Act 12.
Official term: Act
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote