Title
Ordinance establishing the neutral site custody exchange fund, imposing a neutral site custody exchange fee, and setting forth rules and standards governing the operation of a neutral site custody exchange program.
Staff Summary
· Lake County received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women in 2008 to establish the Family Visitation Center of Lake County, which opened in 2010. The grant is set to expire on September 30, 2011.
· The Neutral Site Custody Exchange Funding Act (55 ILCS 82/1 et. al.) provides that a County Board may establish a Neutral Site Custody Exchange Fund, with said money to be disbursed by the County to one or more qualified not-for-profit organizations to support a neutral site custody exchange program.
· The Family Visitation Center of Lake County, operated by A Safe Place, provides neutral exchange services and would qualify for funding through this program.
· This ordinance establishes a Neutral Site Custody Exchange Fund and imposes a Neutral Site Custody Exchange Fee of $6 on civil cases to support neutral site custody exchange services.
· The fee is expected to generate approximately $180,000 annually.
Body
WHEREAS, the Neutral Site Custody Exchange Funding Act (55 ILCS 82/1 et. al.) provides that a County Board may establish, by the passage of an Ordinance, a Neutral Site Custody Exchange Fund, with said money to be disbursed by the County to one or more qualified not-for-profit organizations to support a neutral site custody exchange program, provided that the expenditure is also approved by the Chief Judge; and
WHEREAS, the Act further provides that a County Board may impose a neutral site custody exchange fee of not less than $1 nor more than $8 on all civil case filings and that any such fees shall be collected by the Clerk of the Circuit Court; and
WHEREAS, the Act requires the County Board to establish rules pertaining to the operation of the neutral site custody exchange progr...
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