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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Assembly Bill 784

A parent's right to counsel in a child in need of protection or services proceeding, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

Became law

The governor signed it on Apr 5, 2018. It's ⁠.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Dec 27, 2017

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Assembly vote, passed

    Passed Feb 13, 2018

  4. Senate vote, passed

    Passed 32 to 0

  5. Governor, passed

    Signed

  6. Law, here now

    2017 Wisconsin Act 253

Latest entry in the official record, Apr 5, 2018: “Published 4-5-2018”

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 removes the prohibition on assigning counsel to a parent in a child in need of protection or services (CHIPS) proceeding, and creates a five-county pilot program that creates a right to counsel for such a parent.

Under current law, a parent is entitled to legal representation in a proceeding under the Children's Code involving a contested adoption or an involuntary termination of parental rights. In all other cases under the Children's Code, the juvenile court may appoint counsel to any party to the proceeding except that the juvenile court is prohibited from appointing counsel in a CHIPS proceeding for any party other than a child, an Indian parent, or an Indian custodian. This prohibition was ruled unconstitutional by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Joni B. v. State , 202 Wis. 2d 1 (1996), on the grounds that the prohibition constitutes a violation of the separation of powers doctrine of the Wisconsin Constitution.

Read the full summary

This bill eliminates the statutory prohibition placed on a juvenile court regarding appointment of counsel for parents other than Indian parents or Indian custodians and creates a five-county pilot program that grants a nonpetitioning parent in a CHIPS proceeding in which the child has been taken into custody a right to counsel, including referral to the state public defender if appropriate.

Under the bill, the pilot program creating a right to counsel for a parent in a CHIPS proceeding in a participating county sunsets on June 30, 2021. Also, the SPD and the Department of Children and Families must each submit a report by January 1, 2021, to the Joint Committee on Finance and each house of the legislature regarding the costs of and data from implementing the pilot program created under the bill.

Who's behind it

45 lawmakers are its ⁠. 27 are Republicans and 18 are Democrats.

12 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 57 names

Authors (45)

Signed on in support (12)

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 7 votes on this bill.

Assembly Committee on Judiciary vote on an amendment

Passed, 9 to 0 · Feb 2, 2018

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

Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 9, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly Committee on Judiciary vote to recommend it

Passed, 8 to 1 · Feb 2, 2018

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 Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 1”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Joint Committee on Finance vote on an amendment

Passed, 16 to 0 · Feb 8, 2018

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

Official motion: “Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Joint Committee on Finance vote to recommend it

Passed, 16 to 0 · Feb 8, 2018

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 Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Assembly vote to pass it

Passed, 90 to 2 · Feb 13, 2018 · 4 didn't vote

See how each of the 96 representatives voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Yes (90)

No (2)

Didn't vote (4)

Official motion: “PASSAGE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote

Passed, 5 to 0 · Feb 16, 2018

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

Official motion: “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate vote to pass it

Passed, 32 to 0 · Feb 20, 2018

See how each of the 32 senators voted

D: Democrat, R: Republican

Official motion: “CONCURRENCE”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Apr 5, 2018

    The new law was published.

  2. Apr 5, 2018

    The governor signed it. It became 2017 Wisconsin Act 253.

  3. Apr 3, 2018

    Sent to the governor.

  4. Feb 20, 2018

    The Senate passed it too, 32 to 0.

  5. Feb 16, 2018

    “Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0” (the official wording)

  6. Feb 14, 2018

    1 more senator signed on in support.

  7. Feb 14, 2018

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Senate Organization.

  8. Feb 14, 2018

    The Senate received it.

  9. Feb 13, 2018

    The Assembly passed it, 90 to 2.

  10. Feb 13, 2018

    The Assembly adopted it.

  11. Feb 12, 2018

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  12. Feb 8, 2018

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.

  13. Feb 8, 2018

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 16 to 0.

  14. Feb 8, 2018

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  15. Feb 2, 2018

    Sent to the Joint Committee on Finance.

  16. Feb 2, 2018

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 8 to 1.

  17. Jan 30, 2018

    The committee held a public hearing.

  18. Jan 8, 2018

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  19. Jan 8, 2018

    1 more representative signed on in support.

  20. Dec 27, 2017

    Sent to the Assembly Committee on Judiciary.

  21. Dec 27, 2017

    Introduced in the Assembly.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Dec 27, 2017 · Assembly

    Introduced by Representatives Ballweg, Subeck, Snyder, Doyle, Katsma, Billings, Novak, Meyers, Pronschinske, Crowley, Rodriguez, Kitchens, Anderson, Barca, Berceau, Born, E. Brooks, Considine, Fields, Felzkowski, Genrich, Kerkman, Kolste, Krug, Kulp, Mursau, Ohnstad, Petersen, Petryk, Ripp, Rohrkaste, Sargent, Schraa, Sinicki, Spiros, Spreitzer, Steineke, Swearingen, C. Taylor, Tauchen, Thiesfeldt, Tranel, VanderMeer, Vruwink and Edming; cosponsored by Senators Feyen, Johnson, Bewley, Larson, Olsen, Ringhand, L. Taylor, Vinehout, Wanggaard and Wirch

  2. Dec 27, 2017 · Assembly

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary

  3. Jan 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Representative Quinn added as a coauthor

  4. Jan 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Jan 26, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Representative Ballweg

  6. Jan 30, 2018 · Assembly

    Public hearing held

  7. Jan 31, 2018 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  8. Feb 2, 2018 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  9. Feb 2, 2018 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 8, Noes 1

  10. Feb 2, 2018 · Assembly

    Referred to joint committee on Finance

  11. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  12. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Executive action taken

  13. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Report Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adoption recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0

  14. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Report passage as amended recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0

  15. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Referred to committee on Rules

  16. Feb 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Placed on calendar 2-13-2018 by Committee on Rules

  17. Feb 12, 2018 · Assembly

    Fiscal estimate received

  18. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a second time

  19. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 adopted

  20. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered to a third reading

  21. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Rules suspended

  22. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Read a third time and passed, Ayes 90, Noes 2, Paired 2

  23. Feb 13, 2018 · Assembly

    Ordered immediately messaged

  24. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Received from Assembly

  25. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to committee on Senate Organization

  26. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  27. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Senator Darling added as a cosponsor

  28. Feb 16, 2018 · Senate

    Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 5, Noes 0

  29. Feb 16, 2018 · Senate

    Placed on calendar 2-20-2018 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  30. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a second time

  31. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered to a third reading

  32. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Rules suspended

  33. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 0

  34. Feb 20, 2018 · Senate

    Ordered immediately messaged

  35. Feb 20, 2018 · Assembly

    Received from Senate concurred in

  36. Mar 8, 2018 · Assembly

    Report correctly enrolled on 3-8-2018

  37. Apr 3, 2018 · Assembly

    Presented to the Governor on 4-3-2018

  38. Apr 5, 2018 · Assembly

    Report approved by the Governor on 4-4-2018. 2017 Wisconsin Act 253

  39. Apr 5, 2018 · Assembly

    Published 4-5-2018

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