COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION



FISCAL NOTE



L.R. NO.: 2322-01

BILL NO.: SB 603

SUBJECT: Revises the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act

TYPE: Original

DATE: December 14, 1999




FISCAL SUMMARY



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003
General Revenue (Unknown) (Unknown) (Unknown)
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

State Funds*

(Unknown) (Unknown) (Unknown)

* Unknown costs expected to exceed $100,000 annually.

ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003
None
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

Federal Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003
Local Government $0 $0 $0


Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses

This fiscal note contains 3 pages.



FISCAL ANALYSIS



ASSUMPTION



Officials from the Department of Social Services and the Office of Attorney General assume that this proposal will not fiscally affect their agencies.



Officials from Cooper County Prosecuting Attorney's Office assume that this proposal will not fiscally affect their agency. Oversight will assume this proposal will not affect the local prosecuting attorneys.



Officials from the Office of State Courts Administrator (OSCA) stated that because of problems with interpretation of this proposal, the ramifications of possible adoption by Missouri only, and the subsequent differences between Missouri law and that of other states, the OSCA is unable to provide a cost estimate.



The OSCA also stated the language of the statute would open these cases up to consideration of visitation issues. This could result in a significant workload increase for the courts and a significant fiscal impact. The OSCA can not provide an estimate of this fiscal impact.



Oversight assumes that the duties for the court system will increase should this proposal be enacted. The fiscal impact cannot be exactly determined based on the information supplied by the OSCA. However, Oversight assumes the unknown cost of this proposal is expected to be in excess of $100,000 annually. This unknown affect is chargeable to the General Revenue Fund.





FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003

(10 Mo.)

GENERAL REVENUE FUND



Costs - State Courts System

Personnel Costs, Communication Expenses,

Investigative Expenses, Witness Expenses,

Travel Expenses, and Child Care Expenses (Unknown) (Unknown) (Unknown)



ESTIMATED NET

EFFECT ON

GENERAL REVENUE FUND* (Unknown) (Unknown) (Unknown)



* Unknown costs expected to exceed $100,000 annually.



FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003

(10 Mo.)



$0 $0 $0



FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business



No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.



DESCRIPTION



This proposal repeals Missouri's Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act and adopts the current version of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. The proposal does not govern adoption proceedings, proceedings pertaining to the authorization of emergency medical care for a child, or proceedings governed by the Indian Child Welfare Act. Courts are required to treat a foreign country as a state of the United States for purposes of applying the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, except where the child custody law of the foreign country violates fundamental human rights principles. The proposal makes other various changes in the child custody statutes.



This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Department of Social Services

Office of State Courts Administrator

Cooper County Prosecuting Attorney

Office of Attorney General





Jeanne Jarrett, CPA

Director

December 14, 1999