H-3654.2          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2508

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives D. Sommers, Cooke, Robertson, Goldsmith, Sterk, Backlund and Regala

Read first time 01/11/96.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Providing for collection of delinquent child support.

     AN ACT Relating to collection of delinquent child support; adding a new section to chapter 26.23 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 26.23 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The office of support enforcement shall enter into contracts with collection agencies for collection of accounts that the office of support enforcement is unsuccessful in collecting after twelve months.  The listing collection agency shall not assess the department any fee.  All fees collected shall be in addition to the amount of the debt owed by the delinquent party and shall be assessed to the delinquent party not to exceed twenty percent of the amount owed.  All child support collected by the collection agency shall be paid to the state.

     (2) The department shall monitor each case that it refers to a collection agency.

     (3) The department shall evaluate the effectiveness of entering into contracts for services under this section.

     (4) The department shall provide annual reports to the legislature on the results of its analysis under subsections (2) and (3) of this section for the first three years after the effective date of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

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