2006 Utah Code - 63-63a-8 — Children\'s Legal Defense Account.

     63-63a-8.   Children's Legal Defense Account.
     (1) There is created a restricted account within the General Fund known as the Children's Legal Defense Account.
     (2) The purpose of the Children's Legal Defense Account is to provide for programs that protect and defend the rights, safety, and quality of life of children.
     (3) The Legislature shall appropriate money from the account for the administrative and related costs of the following programs:
     (a) implementing the Mandatory Educational Course on Children's Needs for Divorcing Parents 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 Custody or 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, 78-3a-318, 78-3a-912, 78-11-6, and 78-7-9; the training of guardian ad litems and volunteers as provided in Section 78-3a-912; and termination of parental rights as provided in Sections 78-3a-118, 78-3a-119, 78-3a-903, and Title 78, Chapter 3a, Part 4, Termination of Parental Rights Act. This account may not be used to supplant funding for the guardian ad litem program in the juvenile court as provided in Section 78-3a-912; and
     (c) implementing and administering the Expedited Parent-time Enforcement Pilot Program as provided in Section 30-3-38.
     (4) The following withheld fees shall be allocated only to the Children's Legal Defense Account 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 Utah as provided in Section 17-16-21; and
     (b) a fee of $2 shall be withheld from the existing civil filing fee collected on any complaint, affidavit, or petition in a civil, probate, or adoption matter in every court of record.
     (5) The Division of Finance shall allocate the monies described in Subsection (4) from the 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 of any fiscal year shall lapse into the General Fund.

Amended by Chapter 255, 2001 General Session
Amended by Chapter 46, 2001 General Session