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Wisconsin Legislature: SB522: Bill Text
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SB522: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-4855/2
MDE:ajk
2025 SENATE BILL 522
October 9, 2025 - Introduced by Senators
Jacque
and
Tomczyk
, cosponsored by Representatives
Dittrich
,
Armstrong
,
Brooks
,
Kreibich
,
Melotik
,
Mursau
,
Penterman
and
Wichgers
. Referred to Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families.
SB522,1,3
1
An Act
to create
767.407 (1) (bm) of the statutes;
relating to:
the appointment
2
of a guardian ad litem in a proceeding to grant reasonable visitation rights to
3
a nonparent.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill permits a court to appoint a guardian ad litem (GAL) for a minor child in an action affecting the family where a petition for visitation rights has been filed by a grandparent, great-grandparent, stepparent, or person who has maintained a relationship similar to a parent-child relationship with the child. In any such filing where the petitioner has pled a prima facie case for visitation, the bill requires the court to appoint a GAL for the minor child.
Under current law, a court is required to appoint a GAL for a minor child in an action affecting the family if the court has reason for special concern as to the welfare of the child or, with certain exceptions, if legal custody or physical placement of the child is contested. Current law also allows appointment of a GAL for a minor child if legal custody or physical placement is stipulated to be with any person or agency other than a parent of the child or, if at the time of the action, the child is in the legal custody of or physically placed with a person or agency other than the child’s parent.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB522,1
1
Section
1
.
767.407 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
SB522,2,5
2
767.407
(1)
(bm) In any action affecting the family where a petition has been
3
filed for reasonable visitation rights under s. 767.43, the court may appoint a
4
guardian ad litem for a minor child. In any such filing, the court shall appoint a
5
guardian ad litem if the petitioner has pled a prima facie case for visitation.
SB522,2
6
Section
2
. Initial applicability.
SB522,2,8
7
(
1
)
This act first applies to a petition filed for reasonable visitation rights
8
under s. 767.43 on the effective date of this subsection.
SB522,2,9
9
(end)
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true
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/2025/related/proposals/sb522
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB522
proposaltext/2025/REG/SB522
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true
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