Kansas § 20-166 - Access to justice fund; expenditures; grant guidelines established by the supreme court

§ 20-166. Access to justice fund; expenditures; grant guidelines established by the supreme court

20-166. Access to justice fund; expenditures; grant guidelines established by the supreme court. (a) There is hereby created in the state treasury the access to justice fund. Money credited to the fund shall be used solely for the purpose of making grants for operating expenses to programs, including dispute resolution programs, which provide access to the Kansas civil justice system for persons who would otherwise be unable to gain access to civil justice. Such programs may provide legal assistance to pro se litigants, legal counsel for civil and domestic matters or other legal or dispute resolution services provided the recipient of the assistance or counsel meets financial qualifications under guidelines established by the program in accordance with grant guidelines promulgated by the supreme court of Kansas.(b) All expenditures from the access to justice fund shall be made in accordance with appropriations acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the chief justice of the Kansas supreme court or by a person or persons designated by the chief justice.(c) The chief justice may apply for, receive and accept money from any source for the purposes for which money in the access to justice fund may be expended. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the chief justice shall remit the entire amount to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the credit of the access to justice fund.(d) Grants made to programs pursuant to this section shall be based on the number of persons to be served and such other requirements as may be established by the Kansas supreme court in guidelines established and promulgated to regulate grants made under authority of this section. The guidelines may include requirements for grant applications, organizational characteristics, reporting and auditing criteria and such other standards for eligibility and accountability as are deemed advisable by the supreme court.History: L. 1996, ch. 234, § 1; L. 2001, ch. 5, § 69; Revived and amended, L. 2016, ch. 78, § 4; July 1.