2. Additional staff. The State Court Administrator shall provide other necessary staff to the Family Division, within the limits of funds available, and shall seek to take full advantage of federal funding, including reimbursements.

3. Reports. The State Court Administrator shall keep statistical records relating to the cases handled by the Family Division and report this information to the Supreme Judicial Court annually and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters by January 15th of each odd-numbered calendar year.

A. The State Court Administrator shall evaluate the functioning of the family case management officers law magistrates in providing a system of justice that is responsive to the needs of families and the support of their children in light of the jurisdiction given to the family case management officers law magistrates under this section. The State Court Administrator shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters no later than January 15, 1999 with recommendations, if any, for changing the duties provided in subsection 1, paragraph D.

B. The State Court Administrator shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters by January 15, 1999 explaining the justification for the particular geographic assignments of the family case management officers law magistrates.

SUMMARY

This bill makes several changes to the law governing the Family Division of the District Court.

It revises the title of family case management officers to family law magistrates.

This bill also authorizes family law magistrates to grant requests for access to confidential child protective records held by the Department of Human Services. Under such a "Clifford order," the family law magistrate may review the records in camera to determine which records, if any, may be inspected.