A.G. Gancarski
State Sen. Aaron Bean introduced his first bill ahead of next year’s Legislative Session, and it’s one that could help special needs children in courts of law.
The Pro Bono Matters Act of 2018 (SB 146) is designed, per a press release from Bean, “to provide case related due process costs to attorneys who provide pro bono services to dependent children with special needs.”
Bean contends that there currently is a service gap for those children.
“My hope is that this bill will encourage attorneys to offer pro bono services to a dependent child with certain special needs,” Bean asserted. “Removing the costs associated with volunteering to take the case could increase the number of attorneys who step forward to help these children.”
Bean’s bill would allocate up to $1,000 per child per year to appointed attorneys and organizations, including pro bono attorneys, to cover litigation-related costs, including expert witnesses, depositions and filing costs.
This bill is supported by the Florida Guardian Ad Litem program.
One comment
Alan Abramowitz
August 18, 2017 at 6:49 am
Sen Bean is doing great thing for children in foster care. Last year, Key to Independence and “Being a Foster Parent is a Walk in the Park”. Thanks also to Rep Frank White for being House Sponsor.
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