First Assembly Floor Session in 2020

Madison – Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly met for the first time this year. During the floor period, the Assembly passed many bipartisan bills. Two of those were bills that Representative Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) co-sponsored. Assembly Bill 563 allows additional information, such as a child’s individualized education program (IEP), to be known by a child’s out-of-home care provider. Assembly Bill 564 expands the eligibility for adoption assistance in certain cases, including when a child is a member of a sibling group of two or more children.

Both pieces of legislation were products of the Speaker’s Task Force on Adoption. After voting, Representative Considine released the following statement:

“Last year, I served on the Speaker’s Task Force on Adoption. Over many weeks several of my colleagues joined me as we traveled the state to hear about how Wisconsin’s adoption system affects them. We heard negative and positive stories, and came away with some ideas for how to make the process better.

“The two bills from the Speaker’s Task Force on Adoption that are really productive are Assembly Bill 563 and Assembly Bill 564. I am a co-sponsor of these bills because addressing adoption assistance and sharing permanency plans with foster parents are two changes that can ease the tumultuous process we heard so much about. Additionally, these two bills ease the process without inadvertent consequences. I am glad the Assembly passed these two bills and I look forward to the Senate passing them as well.

“Thank you to everyone who emailed, called my office, or testified at a hearing over the course of the last year. Your willingness to share gave our group two bills that I believe will help ease the adoption process.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.