Report Title:

Parenting Plan Mediation Pilot Program; Family Court Legal Interventions Working Group; Judiciary; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to the judiciary for a grant to Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii for the implementation of the parenting plan mediation pilot program.

 

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	196
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

Relating to The JUDICIARY.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that children whose parents are engaged in a high conflict divorce suffer from behavioral, social, and emotional maladjustment.  Research finds that when parents are able to cooperate, disengage from their conflict with each other, and support the child's relationship with the other parent, their children are more productive, better adjusted, and more emotionally secure. 

     Pursuant to Senate Resolution No. 10 (2007), the senate committee on human services and public housing formed the family court legal interventions working group to study the recommendations made by prior committees dedicated to studying methods of family court intervention and best practices for children in the family court system.

     The working group evaluated the parenting plan mediation pilot program, which aims to assist parents to develop a parenting plan without and prior to family court intervention.  The goal of the pilot program is to shorten the amount of time it takes for divorcing couples to reach custody agreements and reduce the chances of recurring conflict.

     The purpose of this Act is to implement the recommendation of the family court legal interventions working group by providing funding for a parenting plan mediation pilot program.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $85,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the sum of $85,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for the purpose of developing the parenting plan mediation pilot program.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the judiciary on a grant executed in accordance with chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, with Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii for implementation of the parenting plan mediation pilot program.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________