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Bill > AB262
WI AB262
WI AB262Findings of fact when the court grants less than equal physical placement of a child.
summary
Introduced
05/19/2025
05/19/2025
In Committee
05/19/2025
05/19/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
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, the court must, in each case, consider a statutory list of best-interest factors. Current law provides that, if the 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 reasons that greater physical placement with that parent is not in the best interest of the child. This bill changes the requirement such that specific findings of fact must be entered if the court grants less than 50 percent of physical placement to one parent in a temporary or final order in an action affecting the family.
AI Summary
This bill modifies Wisconsin state law regarding child physical placement by changing the threshold at which courts must provide specific findings of fact when granting less than equal time to a parent. Currently, if a court grants less than 25 percent physical placement to one parent, it must provide detailed reasons explaining why a greater allocation of time would not be in the child's best interests. This bill raises that threshold from 25 percent to 50 percent, meaning courts will now be required to enter specific findings of fact only when granting a parent less than half of the physical placement time. The changes apply to both temporary and final orders in family court cases involving child custody. The bill amends two sections of Wisconsin statutes (767.225 and 767.41) to implement this change and will take effect on the first day of the seventh month after its publication. The goal appears to be providing more judicial transparency and ensuring that decisions limiting a parent's time with their child are well-justified and clearly documented.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (11)
Robert Brooks (R)*,
Barbara Dittrich (R)*,
Dan Knodl (R)*,
Rob Kreibich (R)*,
Dave Murphy (R)*,
Amanda Nedweski (R)*,
Jerry O'Connor (R)*,
William Penterman (R)*,
Shannon Zimmerman (R)*,
Van Wanggaard (R),
Eric Wimberger (R),
Last Action
Read first time and referred to Committee on Children and Families (on 05/19/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab262 |
| BillText | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/proposaltext/2025/REG/AB262.pdf |
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