The 2025 Senate Bill 917 proposes amendments to the statutes regarding the optional final hearing by affidavit for the dissolution of marriage, as established by 2025 Wisconsin Act 40. This bill aims to refine the requirements for the affidavit that parties must submit in divorce or legal separation actions. Specifically, it updates the cross-reference to the definition of domestic abuse and reconciles references to battery statutes that were revised in 2025 Wisconsin Act 24.

The key changes include the insertion of the correct cross-reference to domestic abuse, now defined in section 813.12 (1) (am), and the addition of references to criminal cases alleging conduct under sections 940.60, 940.61 (1), 940.19, and 940.20 (1m), along with their substantial equivalents in various jurisdictions. These modifications are intended to ensure clarity and consistency in the legal framework governing divorce proceedings, particularly in cases involving allegations of domestic violence.