1. (a) The court may order either or both parents of a child for whom a guardian ad litem or court appointed special advocate is appointed under this chapter to pay a user fee for the services provided under this chapter. The court shall establish one (1) of the following procedures to be used to collect the user fee:

   1. (1) The court may order the clerk of the court to collect the user fee and deposit the user fee into the county's guardian ad litem fund or court appointed special advocate fund. The fiscal body of the county shall appropriate money collected as user fees under this chapter to the court having jurisdiction over custody actions for the court's use in providing guardian ad litem or court appointed special advocate services, including the costs of representation.

   2. (2) The court may order either or both parents to pay the user fee to the:

      1. (A) guardian ad litem program that provided the services; or
      2. (B) court appointed special advocate program that provided the services.
   3. (3) The court may order either or both parents to pay the user fee to the individual or attorney guardian ad litem that provided the services.

2. (b) Money remaining in a county's:

   1. (1) guardian ad litem fund; or

   2. (2) court appointed special advocate fund;

      at the end of the county's fiscal year does not revert to any other fund.

3. (c) If the court orders either or both parents to pay the user fee according to subsection (a)(2) or (a)(3) the program or the individual or attorney guardian ad litem shall report to the court the receipt of payment not later than thirty (30) days after receiving the payment.

   [Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-1-11.5-28(k) part, (l) part.]

As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.9.