Bill Text: AZ SB1247 | 2012 | Fiftieth Legislature 2nd Regular | Engrossed


Bill Title: Membership; domestic relations committee

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-04-05 - House Committee of the Whole action: Do Pass [SB1247 Detail]

Download: Arizona-2012-SB1247-Engrossed.html

 

 

 

Senate Engrossed

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fiftieth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2012

 

 

SENATE BILL 1247

 

 

 

AN ACT

 

Amending section 25-323.02, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to the DOMESTIC relations committee.

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 



Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Section 25-323.02, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE25-323.02.  Domestic relations committee; membership; duties; pilot programs; report

A.  The domestic relations committee is established consisting of the following members:

1.  Two One noncustodial parents father and one noncustodial mother of minor children who are knowledgeable in domestic relations issues and who are not judges or commissioners.  The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each appoint one of these members.

2.  Two One custodial parents father and one custodial mother of minor children who are knowledgeable in domestic relations issues and who are not judges or commissioners.  The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each appoint one of these members.

3.  Two parents who have joint custody of minor children, who are knowledgeable in domestic relations issues and who are not judges or commissioners.  One parent must be a father and one parent must be a mother. The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each appoint one of these members.

4.  Two parents who are knowledgeable in domestic relations issues, who are not judges or commissioners and who are appointed by the governor.

5.  Two active or retired judges or commissioners, or both, from the domestic relations department of the superior court who are appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.  One of these members shall be from an urban county and one member shall be from a rural county.

6.  One Two domestic relations attorney who is appointed by the governor attorneys.  The governor and the chief justice of the supreme court shall each appoint one of these members.  The member appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court must be employed by an Arizona nonprofit organization that is funded by the legal services corporation to represent exclusively indigent persons.

7.  One clerk of the superior court who is appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.

8.  A professional domestic relations mediator who is appointed by the president of the senate.

9.  A psychologist who is experienced in performing child custody evaluations and who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

10.  A domestic relations educator who is experienced in matters relating to parenting or divorce classes and who is appointed by the governor.

11.  A representative of a statewide domestic violence coalition who is appointed by the president of the senate.

12.  A representative of a statewide sexual assault network who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

12.  13.  A representative of a conciliation court who is appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.

13.  14.  A marriage and family therapist who is knowledgeable in domestic relations issues and who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

14.  15.  A representative from a faith‑based organization who is knowledgeable in domestic relations issues and who is appointed by the governor.

15.  16.  An administrative officer of the supreme court who is appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court or the officer's designee.

16.  17.  A member of a law enforcement agency in this state who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

17.  18.  A member of an agency that advocates for children who is appointed by the president of the senate.

18.  19.  One member of the family law section of the state bar of Arizona who is appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.

19.  20.  Four members of the senate, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party.  The president of the senate shall appoint these members and shall designate one of them as the cochairperson.

20.  21.  Four members of the house of representatives, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party.  The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint these members and designate one of them as the cochairperson.

B.  The committee shall prepare a statewide plan for an integrated family court with comprehensive subject matter jurisdiction over all matters involving the family and submit this plan to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chief justice of the supreme court on or before December 31, 2002.  Based on this plan or on other formal recommendations from the committee, beginning July 1, 2006, the supreme court shall implement a two year integrated family court pilot program in one county with a population of less than five hundred thousand persons.  The supreme court shall submit quarterly reports on the pilot program to the committee.  The committee shall include information from these reports in its annual report prepared pursuant to subsection C of this section.

C.  The committee shall prepare an annual written report regarding recommended changes to the domestic relations statutes, rules and procedures and other related issues designed to lead to a reform of the state's domestic relations statutes.  The committee shall submit this report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chief justice of the supreme court on or before December 31 of each year and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state and the director of the Arizona state library, archives and public records.  Beginning July 1, 2011, the report shall be submitted electronically.

D.  The committee shall develop minimum training standards on domestic violence and child abuse issues for persons conducting an investigation or preparing a report concerning child custodial arrangements pursuant to section 25‑406.  The committee shall approve the standards on or before December 31, 2004.  The committee may modify the standards on or before December 31 of each year.

E.  Nonlegislative members of the committee are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2. END_STATUTE

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