Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 1.djvu/69

 PUBLIC LAW 96-190—FEB. 12, 1980

94 STAT. 19

(6) consultation and cooperation with the community and with governmental agencies; and (7) the establishment of programs or procedures for effectively, economically, and appropriately communicating to disputants the availability and location of the dispute resolution mechanism. DEVELOPMENT OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISMS 3Y STATES

SEC. 5. Each State is hereby encouraged to develop— (1) sufficient numbers and types of readily available dispute resolution mechanisms which meet the criteria established in section 4; and (2) a public information program which effectively communicates to potential users the availability and location of such dispute resolution mechanisms.

28 USC app.

Public information program.

ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM; DISPUTE RESOLUTION RESOURCE CENTER

SEC. 6. (a) The Attorney General shall establish a Dispute Resolu- 28 USC app. tion Program in the Department of Justice. Such program shall include establishment of a Dispute Resolution Resource Center and a Dispute Resolution Advisory Board and the provision of financial assistance under section 8. (b) The Center —

Functions.

(1) shall serve as a national clearinghouse for the exchange of information concerning the improvement of existing dispute resolution mechanisms and the establishment of new dispute resolution mechanisms; (2) shall provide technical assistance to State and local governments and to grant recipients to improve existing dispute resolution mechanisms and to establish new dispute resolution mechanisms; (3) shall conduct research relating to the improvement of existing dispute resolution mechanisms and to the establishment of new dispute resolution mechanisms, and shall encourage the development of new dispute resolution mechanisms; (4) shall undertake comprehensive surveys of the various State Surveys. and local governmental dispute resolution mechanisms and major privately operated dispute resolution mechanisms in the States, which shall determine— (A) the nature, number, and location of dispute resolution mechanisms in each State; (B) the annual expenditure and operating authority for each such mechanism; (C) the existence of any program for informing the potential users of the availability of each such mechanism; (D) an assessment of the present use of, and projected demand for, the services offered by each such mechanism; and (E) other relevant data relating to the types of disputes addressed by each such mechanism including the average cost and time expended in resolving various types of disputes; (5) shall identify, after consultation with the Advisory Board, those dispute resolution mechanisms or aspects thereof which— (A) are most fair, expeditious, and inexpensive to ail parties in the resolution of disputes; and

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