HB 625-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2013 SESSION
09/10
HOUSE BILL 625-FN
AN ACT relative to oversight of guardians ad litem by the guardian ad litem board.
SPONSORS: Rep. Kappler, Rock 3; Rep. Oligny, Rock 34; Rep. Itse, Rock 10; Rep. Lambert, Hills 44
COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law
This bill requires the guardian ad litem board to collect and analyze performance data for each guardian ad litem.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
13-0351
09/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen
AN ACT relative to oversight of guardians ad litem by the guardian ad litem board.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subparagraph; Duties of the Guardian Ad Litem Board; Performance Data and Questionnaire. Amend RSA 490-C:4, I by inserting after subparagraph (g) the following new subparagraph:
(h) Collect and analyze performance data for each guardian ad litem certified by the board. The board shall develop a questionnaire to be distributed to each of the parties to cases in which a guardian ad litem is appointed. The questionnaire shall be designed to gauge the parties’ satisfaction with guardian ad litem services and may include questions relative to the guardian ad litem’s performance, legal knowledge, attentiveness, bias and objectivity, and degree of preparedness. The board shall make an annual report summarizing information gathered under this subparagraph, including statistical information gathered from the questionnaires, available to the public.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
13-0351
01/07/13
HB 625-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to oversight of guardians ad litem by the guardian ad litem board.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Guardian ad Litem Board states this bill, as introduced, will increase state expenditures by $14,590 in FY 2013, $42,910 in FY 2014, $45,317 in FY 2015, $48,716 in FY 2016, and $52,279 in FY 2017. There is no impact on state, county, and local revenues, or county and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Board to collect and analyze performance data on each guardian ad litem, in the form of questionnaires distributed to each of the parties to cases in which a guardian ad litem was appointed. The Board states that during 2011, there was a total of 1,201 cases in which certified GALs were appointed. Based on an average of 1,250 cases per year, the Board estimates 2,500 questionnaires, or two per case, will need to be administered. Yearly expenses will include such items as postage, envelopes, and printing costs. The Board states the work of designing and administering the questionnaire is beyond the scope of the current part-time administrative secretary job description, and so the Board would reclassify the position to a labor grade 19 Administrative Assistant II and make the position full time. Making the position full time will result in the position being eligible for health and dental benefits. The Board states it does not anticipate the bill to pass until April 2013, and therefore calculates personnel numbers for only the fourth quarter of FY 2013. The Board assumes the budgeted appropriation in FY 2016 and FY 2017 will be the same as FY 2015. Consequently, subsequent years assume a step increase will be awarded for the fourth quarter of each fiscal year; for this reason, position costs for each fiscal year do not correspond precisely to the yearly cost of a labor grade 19 position. The Board estimates the bill will increase state expenditures as follows:
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
Administrative Assistant II (LG 19)
$8,717
$35,222
$36,680
$38,235
$39,814
Benefits
$5,035
$21,677
$23,341
$25,185
$27,169
Current expenses
$5,108
$5,108
$5,108
$5,108
$5,108
Technology
$80
-
-
-
-
Total
$18,940
$62,007
$65,129
$68,528
$72,091
Less budget appropriation for existing administrative secretary position
($4,350)
($19,097)
($19,812)
($19,812)
($19,812)
Net Expenditures
$14,590
$42,910
$45,317
$48,716
$52,279