FIRST REGULAR SESSION
93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES DENISON (Sponsor), SATER AND ROORDA (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time January 20, 2005 and copies ordered printed.
STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 488.426 and 488.2300, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to surcharges.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 488.426 and 488.2300, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 488.426 and 488.2300, to read as follows:
488.426. 1. The judges of the circuit court, en banc, in any circuit in this state may require any party filing a civil case in the circuit court, at the time of filing the suit, to deposit with the clerk of the court a surcharge in addition to all other deposits required by law or court rule. Sections 488.426 to 488.432 shall not apply to proceedings when costs are waived or are to be paid by the county or state or any city.
2. The surcharge in effect on August 28, 2001, shall remain in effect until changed by the circuit court. The circuit court in any circuit, except the circuit court in Jackson County and Greene County, may change the fee to any amount not to exceed fifteen dollars. The circuit court in Jackson County and Greene County may change the fee to any amount not to exceed twenty dollars. A change in the fee shall become effective and remain in effect until further changed.
3. Sections 488.426 to 488.432 shall not apply to proceedings when costs are waived or are paid by the county or state or any city.
4. In addition to any fee authorized by subsection 1 of this section, any county of the first classification with more than ninety-three thousand eight hundred but less than ninety-three thousand nine hundred inhabitants may impose an additional fee of ten dollars excluding cases concerning adoption and those in small claims court.
488.2300. 1. A "Family Services and Justice Fund" is hereby established in each county or circuit with a family court, for the purpose of aiding with the operation of the family court divisions and services provided by those divisions. In circuits or counties having a family court, the circuit clerk shall charge and collect a surcharge of [thirty] forty dollars in all proceedings falling within the jurisdiction of the family court. The surcharge shall not be charged when no court costs are otherwise required, shall not be charged against the petitioner for actions filed pursuant to the provisions of chapter 455, RSMo, but may be charged to the respondent in such actions, shall not be charged to a government agency and shall not be charged in any proceeding when costs are waived or are to be paid by the state, county or municipality.
2. In juvenile proceedings under chapter 211, RSMo, a judgment of up to thirty dollars may be assessed against the child, parent or custodian of the child, in addition to other amounts authorized by law, in informal adjustments made under the provisions of sections 211.081 and 211.083, RSMo, and in an order of disposition or treatment under the provisions of section 211.181, RSMo. The judgment may be ordered paid to the clerk of the circuit where the assessment is imposed.
3. All sums collected pursuant to this section and section 487.140, RSMo, shall be payable to the various county family services and justice funds.
4. Any moneys in the family services and justice fund not expended for salaries of commissioners, family court administrators and family court staff shall be used toward funding the enhanced services provided as a result of the establishment of a family court; however, it shall not replace or reduce the current and ongoing responsibilities of the counties to provide funding for the courts as required by law. Moneys collected for the family services and justice fund shall be expended for the benefit of litigants and recipients of services in the family court, with priority given to services such as mediation, counseling, home studies, psychological evaluation and other forms of alternative dispute-resolution services. Expenditures shall be made at the discretion of the presiding judge or family court administrative judge, as designated by the circuit and associate circuit judges en banc, for the implementation of the family court system as set forth in this section. No moneys from the family services and justice fund may be used to pay for mediation in any cause of action in which domestic violence is alleged.
5. From the funds collected pursuant to this section and retained in the family services and justice fund, each circuit or county in which a family court commissioner in addition to those commissioners existing as juvenile court commissioners on August 28, 1993, have been appointed pursuant to sections 487.020 to 487.040, RSMo, shall pay to and reimburse the state for the actual costs of that portion of the salaries of family court commissioners appointed pursuant to the provisions of sections 487.020 to 487.040, RSMo.
6. No moneys deposited in the family services and justice fund may be expended for capital improvements.