| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to guardians ad litem; amending s. 61.402, |
| 3 | F.S.; permitting citizens affiliated with not-for-profit |
| 4 | legal aid organizations to be appointed as guardians ad |
| 5 | litem; requiring the not-for-profit legal aid |
| 6 | organizations to conduct security background |
| 7 | investigations of such persons; providing an effective |
| 8 | date. |
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| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
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| 12 | Section 1. Section 61.402, Florida Statutes, is amended to |
| 13 | read: |
| 14 | 61.402 Qualifications of guardians ad litem.--A guardian |
| 15 | ad litem must be either a citizen certified by the Guardian Ad |
| 16 | Litem Program to act in family law cases, a citizen affiliated |
| 17 | with a not-for-profit legal aid organization defined in s. |
| 18 | 68.096, or an attorney who is a member in good standing of The |
| 19 | Florida Bar. Prior to certifying a guardian ad litem to be |
| 20 | appointed under this chapter, the Guardian Ad Litem Program must |
| 21 | conduct a security background investigation as provided in s. |
| 22 | 39.821 or, if the person to be appointed is a citizen affiliated |
| 23 | with a not-for-profit legal aid organization, ascertain that |
| 24 | such organization has conducted a security background |
| 25 | investigation that conforms to the requirements of s. 39.821. |
| 26 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |