Senate Bill 112
Factors relating to the physical placement of a child
Became law
The governor signed it on May 24, 2021. It's .
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Introduced, passed
Feb 18, 2021
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Committee, passed
Approved
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Senate vote, passed
Passed Mar 16, 2021
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Assembly vote, passed
Passed May 11, 2021
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Governor, passed
Signed
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Law, here now
2021 Wisconsin Act 37
Latest entry in the official record, May 24, 2021: “Published 5-22-2021”
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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
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, in an action affecting a family that involves a child, the court is required to determine the legal custody and the physical placement of the child.
Current law requires the court to set a physical placement schedule that allows a child to have regularly occurring, meaningful periods of physical placement with each parent and that maximizes the amount of time for a child with each parent. In determining a physical placement schedule, a court must, in each case, consider a statutory list of best-interest factors.
Read the full summary Show less
This bill specifies that if a court grants less than 25 percent of physical placement to one parent in a temporary or final order in an action affecting the family, specific findings of fact must be entered as to the reason greater physical placement with that parent is not in the best interest of the child.
The bill also reorganizes the statutory best-interest factors, removing two considerations: the stability in placement and availability of child care services. The bill also specifies that the factors are not necessarily listed in order of importance.
Who's behind it
4 senators are its . All 4 are Republicans.
10 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (4)
- Joan Ballweg · Republican, Senate
- Kathleen Bernier · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Eric Wimberger · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (10)
- Janel Brandtjen · Republican, Assembly
- Rob Brooks · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Clint Moses · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Ken Skowronski · Republican, Assembly
- John Spiros · Republican, Assembly
- Ron Tusler · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Human Services vote to recommend it
Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 4, 2021
No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.
Official motion: “Report passage recommended by Committee on Human Services, Children and Families, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
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May 24, 2021
The new law was published.
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May 24, 2021
The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 37.
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May 20, 2021
Sent to the governor.
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May 11, 2021
The Assembly passed it too.
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May 6, 2021
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
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Mar 17, 2021
The Assembly received it.
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Mar 16, 2021
The Senate passed it.
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Mar 4, 2021
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.
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Mar 2, 2021
The committee held a public hearing.
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Feb 18, 2021
Sent to the Senate Committee on Human Services, Children and Families.
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Feb 18, 2021
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Feb 18, 2021 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Bernier, Ballweg, Wimberger and Nass; cosponsored by Representatives Brooks, Brandtjen, Dittrich, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Skowronski, Tusler, Wichgers and Spiros
- Feb 18, 2021 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Human Services, Children and Families
- Mar 2, 2021 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Mar 4, 2021 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Mar 4, 2021 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Human Services, Children and Families, Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 4, 2021 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Mar 12, 2021 · Senate
Placed on calendar 3-16-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 16, 2021 · Senate
Read a second time
- Mar 16, 2021 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Mar 16, 2021 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Mar 16, 2021 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Mar 16, 2021 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 17, 2021 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- May 6, 2021 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- May 6, 2021 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 5-11-2021 by Committee on Rules
- May 11, 2021 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- May 11, 2021 · Assembly
Read a second time
- May 11, 2021 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- May 11, 2021 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- May 11, 2021 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- May 11, 2021 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- May 12, 2021 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- May 18, 2021 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- May 20, 2021 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 5-20-2021
- May 24, 2021 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 5-21-2021. 2021 Wisconsin Act 37
- May 24, 2021 · Senate
Published 5-22-2021
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
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
Roll call
A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.
Official term: Roll call vote