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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to court actions involving families;

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amending ss. 39.001, 61.001, 63.022, 68.07, 741.2902,

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984.01, and 985.02, F.S., and creating ss. 88.1041,

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742.016, 743.001, and 1003.201, F.S.; providing additional

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purposes relating to implementing a unified family court

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program in the circuit courts; providing legislative

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intent; amending s. 61.402, F.S.; expanding eligibility

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criteria for guardians ad litem; providing requirements

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for and limitations on certification of guardians ad litem

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by not-for-profit legal aid organizations; providing an

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effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Paragraph (o) is added to subsection (1) of

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section 39.001, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     39.001  Purposes and intent; personnel standards and

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screening.--

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     (1)  PURPOSES OF CHAPTER.--The purposes of this chapter are:

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     (o) To provide all children and families with a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases that

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involve children and families and a resolution of family disputes

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in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. It is

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the intent of the Legislature that the courts of this state

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embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not cause

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additional emotional harm to the children and families who are

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required to interact with the judicial system. It is the intent

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of the Legislature to support the development of a unified family

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court and to support the state courts system's efforts to improve

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the resolution of disputes involving children and families

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through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that includes

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coordinated case management; the concept of "one family, one

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judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to needed

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services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution. The

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Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on the

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needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 2.  Subsection (2) of section 61.001, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     61.001  Purpose of chapter.--

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     (2)  Its purposes are:

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     (a)  To preserve the integrity of marriage and to safeguard

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meaningful family relationships.;

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     (b)  To promote the amicable settlement of disputes that

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arise between parties to a marriage.; and

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     (c)  To mitigate the potential harm to the spouses and their

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children caused by the process of legal dissolution of marriage.

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     (d) To provide all children and families with a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases that

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involve children and families and a resolution of family disputes

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in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. It is

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the intent of the Legislature that the courts of this state

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embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not cause

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additional emotional harm to the children and families who are

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required to interact with the judicial system. It is the intent

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of the Legislature to support the development of a unified family

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court and to support the state courts system's efforts to improve

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the resolution of disputes involving children and families

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through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that includes

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coordinated case management; the concept of "one family, one

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judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to needed

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services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution. The

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Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on the

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needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 3.  Subsection (6) is added to section 63.022,

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Florida Statutes, to read:

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     63.022  Legislative intent.--

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     (6) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide all

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children and families with a fully integrated, comprehensive

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approach to handling all cases that involve children and families

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and a resolution of family disputes in a fair, timely, efficient,

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and cost-effective manner. It is the intent of the Legislature

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that the courts of this state embrace methods of resolving

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disputes that do not cause additional emotional harm to the

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children and families who are required to interact with the

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judicial system. It is the intent of the Legislature to support

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the development of a unified family court and to support the

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state courts system's efforts to improve the resolution of

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disputes involving children and families through a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach that includes coordinated case

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management; the concept of "one family, one judge"; collaboration

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with the community for referral to needed services; and methods

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of alternative dispute resolution. The Legislature supports the

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goal that the legal system focus on the needs of children who are

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involved in the litigation, refer families to resources that will

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make families' relationships stronger, coordinate families' cases

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to provide consistent results, and strive to leave families in

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better condition than when the families entered the system.

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     Section 4.  Subsection (9) is added to section 68.07,

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Florida Statutes, to read:

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     68.07  Change of name.--

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     (9) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide all

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children and families with a fully integrated, comprehensive

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approach to handling all cases that involve children and families

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and a resolution of family disputes in a fair, timely, efficient,

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and cost-effective manner. It is the intent of the Legislature

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that the courts of this state embrace methods of resolving

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disputes that do not cause additional emotional harm to the

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children and families who are required to interact with the

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judicial system. It is the intent of the Legislature to support

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the development of a unified family court and to support the

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state courts system's efforts to improve the resolution of

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disputes involving children and families through a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach that includes coordinated case

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management; the concept of "one family, one judge"; collaboration

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with the community for referral to needed services; and methods

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of alternative dispute resolution. The Legislature supports the

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goal that the legal system focus on the needs of children who are

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involved in the litigation, refer families to resources that will

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make families' relationships stronger, coordinate families' cases

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to provide consistent results, and strive to leave families in

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better condition than when the families entered the system.

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     Section 5.  Section 88.1041, Florida Statutes, is created to

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read:

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     88.1041 Legislative intent.--It is the intent of the

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Legislature to provide all children and families with a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases that

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involve children and families and a resolution of family disputes

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in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. It is

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the intent of the Legislature that the courts of this state

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embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not cause

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additional emotional harm to the children and families who are

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required to interact with the judicial system. It is the intent

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of the Legislature to support the development of a unified family

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court and to support the state courts system's efforts to improve

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the resolution of disputes involving children and families

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through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that includes

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coordinated case management; the concept of "one family, one

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judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to needed

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services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution. The

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Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on the

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needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 6.  Subsection (3) is added to section 741.2902,

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Florida Statutes, to read:

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     741.2902  Domestic violence; legislative intent with respect

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to judiciary's role.--

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     (3) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide all

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children and families with a fully integrated, comprehensive

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approach to handling all cases that involve children and families

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and a resolution of family disputes in a fair, timely, efficient,

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and cost-effective manner. It is the intent of the Legislature

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that the courts of this state embrace methods of resolving

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disputes that do not cause additional emotional harm to the

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children and families who are required to interact with the

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judicial system. It is the intent of the Legislature to support

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the development of a unified family court and to support the

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state courts system's efforts to improve the resolution of

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disputes involving children and families through a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach that includes coordinated case

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management; the concept of "one family, one judge"; collaboration

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with the community for referral to needed services; and methods

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of alternative dispute resolution. The Legislature supports the

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goal that the legal system focus on the needs of children who are

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involved in the litigation, refer families to resources that will

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make families' relationships stronger, coordinate families' cases

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to provide consistent results, and strive to leave families in

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better condition than when the families entered the system.

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     Section 7.  Section 742.016, Florida Statutes, is created to

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read:

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     742.016 Legislative intent.--It is the intent of the

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Legislature to provide all children and families with a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases that

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involve children and families and a resolution of family disputes

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in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. It is

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the intent of the Legislature that the courts of this state

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embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not cause

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additional emotional harm to the children and families who are

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required to interact with the judicial system. It is the intent

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of the Legislature to support the development of a unified family

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court and to support the state courts system's efforts to improve

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the resolution of disputes involving children and families

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through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that includes

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coordinated case management; the concept of "one family, one

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judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to needed

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services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution. The

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Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on the

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needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 8.  Section 743.001, Florida Statutes, is created to

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read:

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     743.001 Legislative intent.--It is the intent of the

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Legislature to provide all children and families with a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases that

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involve children and families and a resolution of family disputes

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in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. It is

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the intent of the Legislature that the courts of this state

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embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not cause

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additional emotional harm to the children and families who are

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required to interact with the judicial system. It is the intent

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of the Legislature to support the development of a unified family

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court and to support the state courts system's efforts to improve

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the resolution of disputes involving children and families

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through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that includes

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coordinated case management; the concept of "one family, one

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judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to needed

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services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution. The

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Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on the

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needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 9.  Paragraph (g) is added to subsection (1) of

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section 984.01, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     984.01  Purposes and intent; personnel standards and

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screening.--

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     (1)  The purposes of this chapter are:

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     (g) To provide all children and families with a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases that

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involve children and families and a resolution of family disputes

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in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. It is

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the intent of the Legislature that the courts of this state

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embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not cause

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additional emotional harm to the children and families who are

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required to interact with the judicial system. It is the intent

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of the Legislature to support the development of a unified family

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court and to support the state courts system's efforts to improve

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the resolution of disputes involving children and families

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through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that includes

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coordinated case management; the concept of "one family, one

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judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to needed

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services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution. The

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Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on the

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needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 10.  Paragraph (j) is added to subsection (1) of

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section 985.02, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     985.02  Legislative intent for the juvenile justice

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system.--

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     (1)  GENERAL PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN.--It is a purpose of

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the Legislature that the children of this state be provided with

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the following protections:

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     (j) A fully integrated, comprehensive approach to handling

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all cases that involve children and families and a resolution of

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family disputes in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective

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manner. It is the intent of the Legislature that the courts of

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this state embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not

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cause additional emotional harm to the children and families who

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are required to interact with the judicial system. It is the

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intent of the Legislature to support the development of a unified

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family court and to support the state courts system's efforts to

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improve the resolution of disputes involving children and

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families through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that

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includes coordinated case management; the concept of "one family,

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one judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to

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needed services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution.

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The Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on

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the needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 11.  Section 1003.201, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     1003.201 Legislative intent.--It is the intent of the

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Legislature to provide all children and families with a fully

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integrated, comprehensive approach to handling all cases that

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involve children and families and a resolution of family disputes

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in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner. It is

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the intent of the Legislature that the courts of this state

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embrace methods of resolving disputes that do not cause

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additional emotional harm to the children and families who are

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required to interact with the judicial system. It is the intent

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of the Legislature to support the development of a unified family

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court and to support the state courts system's efforts to improve

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the resolution of disputes involving children and families

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through a fully integrated, comprehensive approach that includes

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coordinated case management; the concept of "one family, one

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judge"; collaboration with the community for referral to needed

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services; and methods of alternative dispute resolution. The

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Legislature supports the goal that the legal system focus on the

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needs of children who are involved in the litigation, refer

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families to resources that will make families' relationships

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stronger, coordinate families' cases to provide consistent

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results, and strive to leave families in better condition than

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when the families entered the system.

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     Section 12.  Section 61.402, Florida Statutes, is amended to

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read:

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     61.402  Qualifications of guardians ad litem.--A guardian ad

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litem must be either a citizen certified by the Guardian Ad Litem

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Program to act in family law cases, a citizen certified by a not-

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for-profit legal aid organization as defined in s. 68.096, or an

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attorney who is a member in good standing of The Florida Bar.

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Prior to certifying a guardian ad litem to be appointed under

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this chapter, the Guardian Ad Litem Program must conduct a

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security background investigation as provided in s. 39.821.

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Certification by a not-for-profit legal aid organization shall

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qualify a guardian ad litem to serve only in actions described in

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s. 61.401 other than actions in which the court has determined

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that there are well-founded allegations of child abuse,

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abandonment, or neglect as defined in s. 39.01. Prior to

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certifying a guardian ad litem, a not-for-profit legal aid

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organization must conduct a security background investigation

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that conforms to the requirements of s. 39.821.

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     Section 13.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.