CONTENT

The bill would amend the Revised Judicature Act to provide for the distribution of costs collected under Senate Bill 593 for failure to obey a support order or for violation of a parenting time order.

Under Senate Bill 594 (S-1), except in any judicial circuit in which employees serving in the circuit court were employees of the State Judicial Council, the county treasurer would have to deposit one-half of the costs in the Friend of the Court Fund. The bill specifies that this money would have to supplement and not supplant other money appropriated by the county for Friend of the Court functions as measured by amounts appropriated by the county for those functions in previous and current fiscal years.

In any judicial circuit in which employees serving in the circuit court were employees of the State Judicial Council, the county treasurer would have to remit one-half of the costs to the State (which would have to appropriate the amount annually for the purpose of fulfilling the statutory obligations of the Friend of the Court in the Third Circuit). The county treasurer would have to remit one-half of the costs actually paid by a payer to the law enforcement agency that executed the bench warrant for the payer’s arrest.

The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 593, and would take effect on June 1, 1996.

MCL 600.2530 Legislative Analyst: S. Margules

FISCAL IMPACT

It is indeterminate how Senate Bills 593 (S-1) and 594 (S-1) would affect the counties, because court costs may differ with each bench warrant issued. If a court were able to collect related costs for each bench warrant issued, there could be some additional revenues for the Friend of the Court offices and law enforcement agencies. This amount is not expected to be significant.

Date Completed: 10-24-95 Fiscal Analyst: M. Bain

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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.