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Bills from the 2015–16 session

Assembly Bill 674

Visitation of residents of certain facilities by adult children. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Mar 31, 2016. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Jan 11, 2016

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 16, 2016

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed Mar 15, 2016

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2015 Wisconsin Act 343

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 31, 2016: “Published 3-31-2016”

Read the bill

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What it does

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill allows an adult child who is being prevented from visiting or communicating with his or her parent to petition a court for visitation. The bill applies to a parent who is a resident of a hospital, hospice, nursing home, or community-based residential facility. The court may not grant an adult child's petition for visitation if the court finds that the resident, while having the capacity to evaluate and communicate decisions regarding visitation, expresses a desire to not have visitation with that adult child or that the visitation would not be in the resident's best interest.

Who's behind it

13 lawmakers are its ⁠. 12 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

3 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 16 names

Authors (13)

Signed on in support (3)

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 6 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote on an amendment

Passed, 12 to 0 · Feb 11, 2016

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 Children and Families, Ayes 12, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote on an amendment

Passed, 10 to 2 · Feb 11, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 2 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 10, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote on an amendment

Passed, 12 to 0 · Feb 11, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 3 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 12, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote on an amendment

Passed, 12 to 0 · Feb 11, 2016

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report Assembly Amendment 5 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 12, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Children and Families vote to recommend it

Passed, 10 to 2 · Feb 11, 2016

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 Children and Families, Ayes 10, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Health and Human Services vote to recommend it

Passed, 5 to 0 · Mar 8, 2016

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

  1. Mar 31, 2016

    The new law was published.

  2. Mar 31, 2016

    The governor signed it. It became 2015 Wisconsin Act 343.

  3. Mar 29, 2016

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Mar 15, 2016

    The Senate passed it too.

  5. Mar 8, 2016

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.

  6. Mar 3, 2016

    The committee held a public hearing.

  7. Feb 17, 2016

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

  8. Feb 17, 2016

    The Senate received it.

  9. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly passed it.

  10. Feb 16, 2016

    The Assembly adopted it.

  11. Feb 11, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  12. Feb 11, 2016

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 10 to 2.

  13. Jan 27, 2016

    The committee held a public hearing.

  14. Jan 19, 2016

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Jan 11, 2016

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Children and Families.

  16. Jan 11, 2016

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Jan 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Spiros, Ballweg, Bernier, Duchow, Horlacher, Knodl, Krug, T. Larson, A. Ott, Sinicki, Skowronski, Thiesfeldt and Tittl; cosponsored by Senators Moulton, Lasee and Olsen

  2. Jan 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Children and Families

  3. Jan 19, 2016 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Jan 27, 2016 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  5. Feb 8, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative Spiros

  6. Feb 8, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 offered by Representative Spiros

  7. Feb 8, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 3 offered by Representative Spiros

  8. Feb 8, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 4 offered by Representative Spiros

  9. Feb 8, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 5 offered by Representative Spiros

  10. Feb 8, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 6 offered by Representative Spiros

  11. Feb 10, 2016 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  12. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 12, Noes 0

  13. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 2 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 10, Noes 2

  14. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 3 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 12, Noes 0

  15. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Amendment 5 adoption recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 12, Noes 0

  16. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Children and Families, Ayes 10, Noes 2

  17. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  18. Feb 11, 2016 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-16-2016 by Committee on Rules

  19. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up

  20. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  21. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 1 adopted

  22. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 2 adopted

  23. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 3 adopted

  24. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Assembly Amendment 5 adopted

  25. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  26. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  27. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed

  28. Feb 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  29. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  30. Feb 17, 2016 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Health and Human Services

  31. Mar 3, 2016 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  32. Mar 3, 2016 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  33. Mar 8, 2016 · Senate

    Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 5, Noes 0

  34. Mar 8, 2016 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  35. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended to withdraw from committee on Senate Organization and take up

  36. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Read a second time

  37. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  38. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  39. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in

  40. Mar 15, 2016 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  41. Mar 16, 2016 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  42. Mar 24, 2016 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-24-2016

  43. Mar 29, 2016 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 3-29-2016

  44. Mar 31, 2016 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 3-30-2016. 2015 Wisconsin Act 343

  45. Mar 31, 2016 · Assembly

    Published 3-31-2016

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

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