SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6660

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

           Health & Long-Term Care, February 6, 1998

Title:  An act relating to child support collection and enforcement.

Brief Description:  Requiring an internet posting of the names of persons whose licenses have been suspended for failure to pay child support.

Sponsors:  Senators Wojahn, McCaslin, Prentice, Winsley, Fairley and T. Sheldon.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Health & Long‑Term Care:  2/5/98, 2/6/98 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6660 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Deccio, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Benton, Fairley, Franklin, Strannigan and Wojahn.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786-7472)

Background:  Welfare reform laws, on the federal and state level, have recently focused on improving child support enforcement, to enable families to maintain financial viability.  As part of increasing child support collectibility, state and federal efforts now focus on locating obligors and incentivizing payment.

At least two dozen states have posted information about some obligors on the Internet.  These postings, on the states' social service agencies' homepages, show selected obligors who are significantly in arrears on child support payments, and who are difficult to locate.  The websites invite the public to help locate the obligors.  Thousands of dollars in support appears to have been recovered due to this method.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) causes the department to post on its homepage on the Internet names, photos and other information, regarding those who are significantly in arrears on child support obligations.

Intent to enhance support collection is stated.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Intent to enhance support collection is stated.  DSHS designs website and criteria for posting.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Internet posting will enhance support collection and public access to information on non-supporting parents.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Elizabeth Morgan, DSHS; Rowland Thompson, Allied Daily Newspapers.