BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Kevin Murray, Chairman

                                           2480 (Evans)
          
          Hearing Date:  8/17/06          Amended: 8/14/06
          Consultant: Nora Lynn           Policy Vote: Judiciary 3-2
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY:   

          AB 2480 requires appellate counsel be appointed to children in  
          dependency proceedings where they are the appellants; presumes  
          that children older than the age of 12 are sufficiently mature  
          to consent to physician-patient, clergy-penitent, and  
          psychotherapist-client privilege; and requires Judicial Council  
          to report on caseload standards for appointed counsel for  
          children in dependency proceedings.
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2006-07      2007-08       2008-09     Fund
           
          Counsel                           $791        $1,291    General*

          Report                 Minor, absorbable costs          General*
          _____
          * Trial Court Trust Fund
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE

          Judicial Council projects AB 2480 will require counsel to be  
          appointed in 1,288 dependency appeals, based on 2004-05 case  
          data. Of those cases, 10% are expected to require a full  
          briefing (at an estimated cost of $3,508 each) and 90% a letter  
          briefing (at $1,518 each). There will be additional costs  
          associated with appellate training and trial counsel case review  
          prior to making recommendations regarding appointment of  
          counsel, driving total estimated annual costs beginning in 2008  
          of $1.291 million

          Costs for Judicial Council to complete the report on caseload  
          standards in dependency proceedings should be absorbable within  










          existing budgetary allocations.