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75-720. Child exchange and visitation centers; duties of the attorney general; child exchange and visitation centers fund. (a) Subject to the provisions of appropriation acts, the attorney general shall provide for child exchange and visitation centers throughout the state for victims of domestic or family violence and their children to allow court-ordered child exchange or visitation in a manner that protects the safety of all family members. The attorney general shall coordinate and cooperate with local governmental agencies in providing the child exchange and visitation centers.

(b) A child exchange and visitation center shall provide:

(1) A secure setting and specialized procedures for supervised visitation and the exchange or transfer of children for visitation; and

(2) supervision by a person trained in security and the avoidance of domestic and family violence.

(c) A child exchange and visitation center is for children who have been removed from such children's parents and placed outside the home as a result of abuse or neglect or other risk of harm to such children and for children whose parents are separated or divorced and the children are at risk because:

(1) There is documented sexual, physical or emotional abuse as determined by the court;

(2) there is suspected or elevated risk of sexual, physical or emotional abuse, or there have been threats of parental abduction of the child;

(3) due to domestic violence, there is an ongoing risk of harm to a parent or child;

(4) a parent is impaired because of substance abuse or mental illness;

(5) there are allegations that a child is at risk for any of the reasons stated in paragraphs (1) through (4) pending an investigation; or

(6) other circumstances, as determined by the court, point to the existence of such a risk.

(d) The attorney general may apply for, receive and accept moneys from any source for the purposes of establishing child exchange and visitation centers for victims of domestic violence.

(e) There is hereby created in the state treasury the child exchange and visitation centers fund. All moneys credited to the fund shall be used solely for the purpose of establishing and maintaining child exchange and visitation centers for victims of domestic violence. All expenditures from the child exchange and visitation center fund shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the attorney general or by the attorney general's designee.

History: L. 1996, ch. 188, § 1; July 1.