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House amends statute to allow contract parental-defense attorneys, passes HB 23 unanimously
Summary
House Bill 23 clarifies statutory language to permit contracting with private parental-defense attorneys and aligns code with recent budget changes; the House adopted amendment No. 2 and passed the bill 69–0, with sponsor noting the appropriation limits the contract to $125,000 per year.
Representative Wayne Harper moved amendment number 2 to House Bill 23 to change the statutory term “legal defense counsel” to “contract parental defense attorney,” aligning the code with last year’s budget decision to fund parental defense by contract. Harper said the change reflects what was implemented administratively after a Request for Proposals and a contract award during the summer.
Representative Buxton and others asked how the contract will operate and what happens when appropriated funds are exhausted. Harper said the contract is limited by the appropriation (he cited $125,000) and that the contractor’s role is to provide training, resources and resource‑identification across the state, not to absorb all parental defense work beyond the contract’s scope.
After a brief floor discussion and a voice vote on the amendment, the House adopted the amendment and passed House Bill 23 by voice vote recorded as 69 yes, 0 no; the bill will be referred to the Senate.
