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An Act To Improve the Responsiveness of Guardians Ad Litem
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 18-A MRSA §1-112, sub-§(a),  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 360, §1, is amended to read:
 
(a).    In any proceeding under this Title for which the court may appoint a guardian ad litem for a child involved in the proceeding, at the time of the appointment, the court shall specify the guardian ad litem's length of appointment, duties and fee arrangements. A guardian ad litem appointed under this section must reside within the same District Court jurisdiction as the child.
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4005, sub-§1, ¶A,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 251, §2, is further amended to read:
 
A.  The court, in every child protection proceeding except a request for a preliminary protection order under section 4034 or a petition for a medical treatment order under section 4071, but including hearings on those orders, shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the child. A guardian ad litem appointed under this subsection must reside within the same Probate Court jurisdiction as the child. The guardian ad litem's reasonable costs and expenses must be paid by the District Court. The appointment must be made as soon as possible after the proceeding is initiated. GuardiansA guardian ad litem appointed on or after March 1, 2000 must meet the qualifications established by the Supreme Judicial Court.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires that a guardian ad litem appointed by a District Court under the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act or a probate court reside within the same jurisdiction as the child.