COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION



FISCAL NOTE



L.R. No.: 2804-01

Bill No.: SB 740

Subject: Creates the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act.

Type: Original

Date: January 8, 2002




FISCAL SUMMARY



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005
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 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005
None
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

Federal Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005
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 - Research & Evaluation Division (DOS)

state there is no change to the procedures in Chapter 211, RSMo, which deal with juvenile court, the Division of Family Services, and the Division of Youth Services custody. As a result, DOS officials state they do not believe the proposed legislation will fiscally impact their organization.



Officials from the Office of State Courts Administrator (CTS) stated the proposed legislation would revise the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act, replacing current law with new language. The CTS officials state that because of problems with interpretation of this bill, and the ramifications of possible adoption by Missouri only, and the subsequent differences between Missouri law and that of other states, they are unable to provide a cost estimate at this time. The CTS officials added that 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 CTS officials state they have no way of estimating the impact at this time.



Officials from the Office of Prosecution Services (OPS) and the State Public Defender (SPD) assumed the proposed legislation will not fiscally impact their organizations.



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 CTS. However, Oversight assumes the unknown cost of this proposal is expected to be in excess of $100,000 annually. This unknown effect is chargeable to the General Revenue Fund.



FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 2003

(10 Mo.)

FY 2004 FY 2005
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 2003

(10 Mo.)

FY 2004 FY 2005
$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 would repeal Missouri's Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act and adopt the current version of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. The proposal would 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 would 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 would make other various changes in the child custody statutes.



The proposal contains a severability clause.



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



Office of State Courts Administrator

Department of Social Services













Mickey Wilson, CPA

Acting Director

January 8, 2002