(Columbia-AP) March 15, 2004 - Childrens advocates and the attorney general are concerned about a provision in the proposed state budget that would move the guardian ad litem program to the attorney general's office.

The guardian program assigns volunteers to speak for children in abuse and neglect court cases.

The House version of the budget would cut the program from $3 million to little more than $1 million. House members say some guardians told them the program would work better in the attorney general's office.

Attorney General Henry McMaster is worried about making the guardian program work with the money allocated to him in the proposed budget.

posted 11:05am by Chris Rees