Modifies the provisions for appointment of guardians ad litem, such as requiring that a court shall attempt to match the child with a guardian ad litem who has specific training or education related to the child's individual needs.   Official Text and Analysis.

Clarifies that the Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) is a mandated reporter of child abuse or neglect only in the situation in which the GAL reasonably believes a child has been abused or neglected through his or her representation of the child in the matter for which the person has been appointed GAL. Clarifies that the criminal history background check results cannot be disclosed to either the parties or their attorneys. Clarifies that the court must grant a party's request that a GAL be removed within the first five days following appointment unless, because of the limited pool of GALs, to do so would cause substantial harm to the children involved.

To clarify that the mandatory reporting requirement also applies to court appointed special advocates. It provides that the requirement for a court to attempt to match a child with a specially-trained GAL applies to children with special needs. The procedures allowing a party to remove a GAL within five days of appointment without cause are removed (the removal process in current law remains). Requirements that the GAL's background information include a fingerprint-based FBI check are removed. Current law is restored that allows investigators appointed by the court to make recommendations to the court on family law proceedings. The requirement that a court find that the GAL substantially misrepresented his or her qualifications before the court can remove the GAL from the registry is removed.

Senate refuse House amendments, asks House to reconsider.

House removes previous amendments and offers new amendments that includes all the provisions in the striking amendment adopted by the House and adds a provision requiring fingerprint based FBI background checks to be included in the information the GAL program keeps on GALs in dependency cases.

Senate approves House action.

Requires a guardian ad litem (GAL) to report child abuse or neglect under the mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect statute. Requires the court in family law and dependency cases to attempt to match a child with special needs to a GAL with specific training or education related to the child's needs. Requires GAL programs to maintain and provide additional background information to the court and the parties. Makes other changes to the statutes governing GALs.