Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Child Welfare topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate advances Guardian ad Litem reform with full-time attorneys, places bill for third reading
Summary
Senate Bill 154, changing oversight of the Guardian ad Litem program and establishing full-time GAL attorneys and a state training/director role, was reported favorably by the Human Services Committee and placed on the third-reading calendar after a roll-call showing 27 yeas and no nays.
The Utah Senate unanimously moved forward a bill to restructure the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program and add full-time attorney positions for child welfare cases. The Human Services Committee reported favorably on Senate Bill 154 and Senator Baird moved to adopt the committee report on the floor.
Sponsor Senator Byrd explained the bill would move the GAL program under the judicial council, establish full-time guardian ad litem attorney positions in the Second, Third and Fourth Judicial Districts, and create a state Guardian ad Litem attorney director/trainer to implement a statewide program. Byrd cited audit findings and prior conflicts of interest involving appointed volunteers and private practitioners as motivating the change.
There were no recorded questions challenging the substance; the clerk recorded the roll-call on third reading with 27 yeas, no nays and two absences, and the bill was placed on the third-reading calendar.
The Senate will take up the bill on third reading according to the calendar. If adopted on third reading it would move closer to final enactment and to implementation planning under the judicial council.
