51-9-408 - Children's Legal Defense Account.
51-9-408. Children's Legal Defense Account.
(1) There is created a restricted account within the General Fund known as the Children'sLegal Defense Account.
(2) The purpose of the Children's Legal Defense Account is to provide for programs thatprotect and defend the rights, safety, and quality of life of children.
(3) The Legislature shall appropriate money from the account for the administrative andrelated costs of the following programs:
(a) implementing the Mandatory Educational Course on Children's Needs for DivorcingParents relating to the effects of divorce on children as provided in Sections 30-3-4, 30-3-7,30-3-10.3, 30-3-11.3, 30-3-15.3, and 30-3-18, and the Mediation Pilot Program - Child Custodyor Parent-time as provided in Sections 30-3-15.3 and 30-3-18;
(b) implementing the use of guardians ad litem as provided in Sections 30-3-5.2,78A-2-227, 78A-6-321, 78A-6-902, and 78B-3-102; the training of guardians ad litem andvolunteers as provided in Section 78A-6-902; and termination of parental rights as provided inSections 78A-6-117, 78A-6-118, and 78A-6-1103, and Title 78A, Chapter 6, Part 5, Terminationof Parental Rights Act. This account may not be used to supplant funding for the guardian adlitem program in the juvenile court as provided in Section 78A-6-902; and
(c) implementing and administering the Expedited Parent-time Enforcement Program asprovided in Section 30-3-38.
(4) The following withheld fees shall be allocated only to the Children's Legal DefenseAccount and used only for the purposes provided in Subsections (3)(a) through (c):
(a) the additional $10 fee withheld on every marriage license issued in the state of Utahas provided in Section 17-16-21; and
(b) a fee of $4 shall be withheld from the existing civil filing fee collected on anycomplaint, affidavit, or petition in a civil, probate, or adoption matter in every court of record.
(5) The Division of Finance shall allocate the money described in Subsection (4) fromthe General Fund to the Children's Legal Defense Account.
(6) Any funds in excess of $200,000 remaining in the restricted account as of June 30 ofany fiscal year shall lapse into the General Fund.
Amended by Chapter 218, 2010 General Session