Senate Bill 524
Access to a deceased adoptee's original birth certificate and information about birth parents by an adult child of the adoptee. (FE)
Became law
The governor signed it on Mar 7, 2022. It's .
-
Introduced, passed
Aug 26, 2021
-
Committee, passed
Approved
-
Senate vote, passed
Passed Oct 20, 2021
-
Assembly vote, passed
Passed Feb 22, 2022
-
Governor, passed
Signed
-
Law, here now
2021 Wisconsin Act 150
Latest entry in the official record, Mar 7, 2022: “Published 3-5-2022”
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.
This bill provides an avenue for the adult offspring of a person whose birth parents' parental rights have been terminated to access the offspring's parent's original birth certificate and information about the birth parents.
Under current law, the Department of Children and Families administers an adoption search program under which a person 18 years of age or over whose birth parent's rights have been terminated in this state may request DCF to provide the person with his or her original birth certificate and any information that is available to DCF regarding the identity and location of the person's birth parents. With certain exceptions, DCF may disclose the requested information only if DCF has on file an unrevoked affidavit from each known birth parent authorizing DCF to disclose that information. However, if a birth parent who has not filed an affidavit is known to be deceased, DCF must inform the requester that the birth parent is deceased, provide the requester with the identity of the deceased birth parent, and, if both birth parents are deceased, provide the requester with his or her original birth certificate.
Read the full summary Show less
Under the bill, the adult child of a person whose birth parents' parental rights have been terminated in this state (offspring) may request DCF to provide the offspring with the original birth certificate of the offspring's parent and any information that is available to DCF regarding the identity of the birth parents of the offspring's parent. If the offspring's parent and both birth parents of the offspring's parent are deceased, regardless of whether either birth parent has filed an affidavit, DCF must disclose the requested information. If any of those individuals are still living, DCF may not disclose the requested information.
Who's behind it
5 senators are its . 4 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.
7 more lawmakers .
See all 12 names Hide the names
Authors (5)
- Rob Cowles · Republican, Senate
- Mary Felzkowski · Republican, Senate
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
Signed on in support (7)
- David Bowen · Democrat, Assembly
- Marisabel Cabrera · Democrat, Assembly
- Cody Horlacher · Republican, Assembly
- Jeff Mursau · Republican, Assembly
- Donna Rozar · Republican, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
- David Steffen · Republican, Assembly
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
How lawmakers voted
There was one vote on this bill.
Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government vote to recommend it
Passed, 5 to 0 · Oct 14, 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 Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0”. Official record · This vote on its own page
What happened
-
Mar 7, 2022
The new law was published.
-
Mar 7, 2022
The governor signed it. It became 2021 Wisconsin Act 150.
-
Mar 3, 2022
Sent to the governor.
-
Feb 22, 2022
The Assembly passed it too.
-
Dec 7, 2021
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Rules.
-
Oct 20, 2021
The Assembly received it.
-
Oct 20, 2021
The Senate passed it.
-
Oct 18, 2021
1 more representative signed on in support.
-
Oct 14, 2021
The committee voted to recommend passing it, 5 to 0.
-
Sep 22, 2021
The committee held a public hearing.
-
Sep 16, 2021
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
-
Aug 26, 2021
Sent to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government.
-
Aug 26, 2021
Introduced in the Senate.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Aug 26, 2021 · Senate
Introduced by Senators Cowles, Felzkowski, Wanggaard, L. Taylor and Jacque; cosponsored by Representatives Steffen, Horlacher, Mursau, Rozar, Cabrera and Sinicki
- Aug 26, 2021 · Senate
Read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government
- Sep 16, 2021 · Senate
Fiscal estimate received
- Sep 22, 2021 · Senate
Public hearing held
- Oct 13, 2021 · Senate
Executive action taken
- Oct 14, 2021 · Senate
Report passage recommended by Committee on Transportation and Local Government, Ayes 5, Noes 0
- Oct 14, 2021 · Senate
Available for scheduling
- Oct 18, 2021 · Senate
Representative Bowen added as a cosponsor
- Oct 19, 2021 · Senate
Placed on calendar 10-20-2021 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Oct 20, 2021 · Senate
Read a second time
- Oct 20, 2021 · Senate
Ordered to a third reading
- Oct 20, 2021 · Senate
Rules suspended
- Oct 20, 2021 · Senate
Read a third time and passed
- Oct 20, 2021 · Senate
Ordered immediately messaged
- Oct 20, 2021 · Assembly
Received from Senate
- Dec 7, 2021 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to committee on Rules
- Feb 17, 2022 · Assembly
Placed on calendar 2-22-2022 by Committee on Rules
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Rules suspended to withdraw from calendar and take up
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Read a second time
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Ordered to a third reading
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Rules suspended
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Read a third time and concurred in
- Feb 22, 2022 · Assembly
Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 22, 2022 · Senate
Received from Assembly concurred in
- Feb 25, 2022 · Senate
Report correctly enrolled
- Mar 3, 2022 · Senate
Presented to the Governor on 3-3-2022
- Mar 7, 2022 · Senate
Report approved by the Governor on 3-4-2022. 2021 Wisconsin Act 150
- Mar 7, 2022 · Senate
Published 3-5-2022
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