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H.B. 204 Enrolled

                 

RESPONSIBILITY OF ATTORNEY GENERAL

                 
TO REPRESENT DIVISION OF CHILD AND

                 
FAMILY SERVICES

                 
2002 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Matt Throckmorton

                  This act amends the Human Services Code. The act clarifies the role of the attorney general
                  as to code provisions relating to the protection and custody of abused, neglected, or
                  dependent minors. The act makes technical changes.
                  This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
                  AMENDS:
                      62A-4a-113, as last amended by Chapter 274, Laws of Utah 1998
                  Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
                      Section 1. Section 62A-4a-113 is amended to read:
                       62A-4a-113. Division's enforcement authority -- Responsibility of attorney general
                  to represent division.
                      (1) The division shall take legal action that is necessary to enforce the provisions of this
                  chapter.
                      (2) (a) [The] Subject to the provisions of Section 67-5-17 , the attorney general shall
                  enforce all provisions of this chapter, in addition to the requirements of Title 78, Chapter 3a,
                  Juvenile Court Act of 1996, relating to protection and custody of abused, neglected, or dependent
                  [children] minors. The attorney general may contract with the local county attorney to enforce the
                  provisions of this chapter and Title 78, Chapter 3a.
                      (b) It is the responsibility of the attorney general's office to:
                      (i) advise the division regarding decisions to remove a [child] minor from [his] the minor's
                  home;
                      (ii) represent the division in all court and administrative proceedings related to child abuse,
                  neglect, and dependency including, but not limited to, shelter hearings, dispositional hearings,
                  dispositional review hearings, periodic review hearings, and petitions for termination of parental


                  rights; and
                      (iii) be available to and advise caseworkers on an ongoing basis.
                      (c) The attorney general shall designate no less than 16 full-time attorneys to advise and
                  represent the division in abuse, neglect, and dependency proceedings, including petitions for
                  termination of parental rights. Those attorneys shall devote their full time and attention to that
                  representation and, insofar as it is practicable, shall be housed in or near various offices of the
                  division statewide.
                      (3) As of July 1, 1998, the attorney general's office shall represent the division with regard
                  to actions involving minors who have not been adjudicated as abused or neglected, but who are
                  otherwise committed to the custody of the division by the juvenile court, and who are classified in
                  the division's management information system as having been placed in custody primarily on the
                  basis of delinquent behavior or a status offense. Nothing in this section may be construed to affect
                  the responsibility of the county attorney or district attorney to represent the state in those matters,
                  in accordance with Section 78-3a-116 .

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