Wisconsin 2025 Regular Session Status: Introduced 1 R cosponsors

SB 161 — Relating to: a presumption that equalizing physical placement to the highest degree is in the child’s best interest.

Last action — Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

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  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced March 27, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Not enough signal yet

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

Not enough signal yet to read this bill's trajectory — we surface a likelihood only once there's real movement (stage, sponsorship, committee, or votes) to point to.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

An Act to amend 767.41 (4) (a) 2.; to create 767.41 (5) (am) 5m. of the statutes;

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

3 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a presumption that equal physical placement with both parents is in the child's best interest, modifying the current law's standard.

  • Wis. Stat. § 767.41 (4) (a) 2.

    the court shall set a placement schedule that allows the child to have regularly occurring, meaningful periods of physical placement with each parent and that maximizes the amount of time the child may spend with each parent → the court shall presume that a placement schedule that allows the child to have regularly occurring, meaningful periods of physical placement with each parent and that maximizes equalizes to the highest degree the amount of time the child may spend with each parent

    This change shifts the emphasis from a flexible placement schedule to a presumption of equal physical placement time with both parents.

  • Wis. Stat. § 767.41 (4) (a) 2.

    The presumption under this subdivision is rebutted if → The presumption under this subdivision is rebutted if a court finds by a preponderance of the evidence, after considering all of the factors in sub. (5) (am),

    This provides a clear standard for rebutting the presumption of equal placement.

  • Wis. Stat. § 767.41 (5) (am) 5m.

    The geographic separation of the parties.

    This adds a new factor for the court to consider when determining the best interests of the child regarding physical placement.

Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Public hearing held

  3. Read first time and referred to Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families

  4. Introduced by Senator Wimberger; cosponsored by Representatives Mursau, Armstrong, Behnke, Brooks, Dallman, Knodl, Kreibich, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk and Steffen

Sponsors

  • Mursau · Cosponsor
  • Armstrong · Cosponsor
  • Behnke · Cosponsor
  • Brooks · Cosponsor
  • Dallman · Cosponsor
  • Knodl · Cosponsor
  • Kreibich · Cosponsor
  • O'Connor · Cosponsor
  • Piwowarczyk · Cosponsor
  • Steffen · Cosponsor
  • Eric Wimberger · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 10 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (10)

  • Mursau
  • Armstrong
  • Behnke
  • Brooks
  • Dallman
  • Knodl
  • Kreibich
  • O'Connor
  • Piwowarczyk
  • Steffen

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 161 do?
An Act to amend 767.41 (4) (a) 2.; to create 767.41 (5) (am) 5m. of the statutes;
Who sponsors SB 161?
SB 161 is sponsored by Mursau, Armstrong, Behnke, Brooks, Dallman, Knodl, Kreibich, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Steffen, and Wimberger, Eric (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 161?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced March 27, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 161?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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