The Florida Senate

409.2567  Services to individuals not otherwise eligible.--All child support services provided by the department shall be made available on behalf of all dependent children. Services shall be provided upon acceptance of public assistance or upon proper application filed with the department. The department shall adopt rules to provide for the payment of a $25 application fee from each applicant who is not a public assistance recipient. The application fee shall be deposited in the Child Support Enforcement Application and Program Revenue Trust Fund within the Department of Revenue to be used for the Child Support Enforcement Program. The obligor is responsible for all administrative costs, as defined in s. 409.2554. The court shall order payment of administrative costs without requiring the department to have a member of the bar testify or submit an affidavit as to the reasonableness of the costs. An attorney-client relationship exists only between the department and the legal services providers in Title IV-D cases. The attorney shall advise the obligee in Title IV-D cases that the attorney represents the agency and not the obligee. In Title IV-D cases, any costs, including filing fees, recording fees, mediation costs, service of process fees, and other expenses incurred by the clerk of the circuit court, shall be assessed only against the nonprevailing obligor after the court makes a determination of the nonprevailing obligor's ability to pay such costs and fees. In any case where the court does not award all costs, the court shall state in the record its reasons for not awarding the costs. The Department of Revenue shall not be considered a party for purposes of this section; however, fees may be assessed against the department pursuant to s. 57.105(1). The department shall submit a monthly report to the Governor and the chairs of the Health and Human Services Fiscal Committee of the House of Representatives and the Ways and Means Committee of the Senate specifying the funds identified for collection from the noncustodial parents of children receiving temporary assistance and the amounts actually collected.

History.--s. 6, ch. 76-220; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 13, ch. 78-433; s. 3, ch. 82-140; s. 144, ch. 86-220; s. 17, ch. 87-95; s. 12, ch. 88-176; s. 22, ch. 92-138; s. 16, ch. 93-208; s. 7, ch. 94-124; s. 7, ch. 94-318; s. 41, ch. 96-175; s. 47, ch. 96-418; s. 53, ch. 97-170; s. 27, ch. 98-397.