SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5378

              As Passed Senate, January 21, 2000

Title:  An act relating to service and expiration of child support documents on employers and others.

Brief Description:  Changing service of process provisions for divisions of child support documents.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Labor & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Senators Wojahn, Fairley and Oke; by request of Department of Social and Health Services).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor & Workforce Development:  2/15/99, 2/23/99 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 3/16/99, 44-0; 1/21/00, 42-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5378 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Hochstatter, Kline and Wojahn.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786-7472)

Background:  Obligor parents may be ordered to provide health insurance coverage for their dependent children.  Failure to provide such coverage may result in the Division of Child Support of the Department of Social and Health Services sending a notice to the obligor's employer or union.  In order to comply with federal law, and to improve the effectiveness of notice service, and increase the number of children covered by employment-based insurance, several technical changes to methods of service are sought.

Summary of Bill:  Service of notice regarding health insurance for dependent children can be served by regular mail, service of a summons, certified mail, or electronic means.  The Division of Child Support may also use uniform interstate forms adopted by the federal Department of Health and Human Services for insurance enrollment actions.  Service may also include parcel delivery that requires a signature.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Employers prefer notice by regular mail and more realistic record retention.  These changes will improve efficiency and save money.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Meg Sollenberger, Director, Division of Child Support, DSHS; Elizabeth Morgan, DCS/DSHS; Chris Cheney, WA Growers League.