(a) Except as provided further, to defray the expenses of operation of the court trustee‘s office, the court trustee is authorized to charge an amount: (1) Whether fixed or sliding scale, based upon the scope of services provided or upon economic criteria, not to exceed 5% of the support collected from obligors through such office, as determined necessary by the chief judge as provided by this section; (2) based upon the hourly cost of office operations for the provision of services on an hourly or per service basis, with the written agreement of the obligee; or (3) from restitution collected, not to exceed the fee authorized by the attorney general under any contract entered into pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-719, and amendments thereto.

(b) All such amounts shall be paid to the court trustee operations fund of the county where collected. There shall be created a court trustee operations fund in the county treasury of each county or district court of each county, in each judicial district that establishes the office of court trustee for the judicial district. The moneys budgeted to fund the operation of existing court trustee offices and to fund the start-up costs of new court trustee offices established on or after January 1, 1992, whether as a result of a rule adopted pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 20-377, and amendments thereto, or because this act has created a court trustee operations fund, shall be transferred from the county general fund to the court trustee operations fund. The county commissioners of the county or group of counties, if the judicial district consists of more than one county, by a majority vote, shall decide whether the county or counties will have a court trustee operations fund in the county treasury or the district court of each county. Except as provided by subsection (d), all expenditures from the court trustee operations fund shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 20-375 et seq., and amendments thereto, to enforce duties of support. Authorized expenditures from the court trustee operations fund may include repayment of start-up costs, expansions and operations of the court trustee’s office to the county general fund. The court trustee shall be paid compensation as determined by the chief judge. The board of county commissioners of each county to which this act may apply shall provide suitable quarters for the office of court trustee, furnish stationery and supplies, and such furniture and equipment as shall, in the discretion of the chief judge, be necessary for the use of the court trustee. The chief judge shall fix and determine the annual budget of the office of the court trustee and shall review and determine on an annual basis the amount necessary to be charged to defray the expense of start-up costs, expansions and operations of the office of court trustee. All payments made by the secretary for children and families pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 23-3113, and amendments thereto, or any grants or other monies received which are intended to further child support enforcement goals or restitution goals shall be deposited in the court trustee operations fund.

(c) The court trustee shall not charge or collect a fee for any support payment that is not paid through the central unit for collection and disbursements of support payments pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 39-7,135, and amendments thereto.

(d) In a judicial district where the office of court trustee has ceased to exist, the chief judge may authorize expenditures from the court trustee operations fund for district court operations.