Senate Bill 0162

    Florida Senate - 1999                                   SB 162

    By Senator Kirkpatrick





    5-362-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to dependency mediation

  3         services; amending s. 39.4075, F.S.; requiring

  4         each judicial circuit to establish a dependency

  5         mediation program; providing for funding of the

  6         programs; providing an effective date.

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  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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10         Section 1.  Section 39.4075, Florida Statutes, 1998

11  Supplement, is amended to read:

12         39.4075  Referral of a dependency case to mediation.--

13         (1)  Each circuit shall establish a dependency

14  mediation program to provide dependency mediation services in

15  that circuit. At any stage in a dependency proceeding, any

16  party may request the court to refer the parties to mediation

17  in accordance with chapter 44 and rules and procedures

18  developed by the Supreme Court.

19         (2)  A court may refer the parties to mediation. When

20  such services are available, The court must determine whether

21  it is in the best interests of the child to refer the parties

22  to mediation.

23         (3)  Dependency mediation programs shall be funded from

24  general revenue. The court department shall advise the parties

25  that they are responsible for contributing to the cost of the

26  dependency mediation to the extent of their ability to pay.

27         (4)  This section applies only to courts in counties in

28  which dependency mediation programs have been established and

29  does not require the establishment of such programs in any

30  county.

31         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999                                   SB 162
    5-362-99




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  2                          SENATE SUMMARY

  3    Requires each judicial circuit to establish a dependency
      mediation program. Provides that such programs are to be
  4    funded from general revenue.

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