Brief Description: Changing the effective date of the uniform interstate family support act.

Sponsors: By Representatives Moeller and Darneille; by request of Uniform Legislation Commission.

House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Law
Senate Committee on Judiciary

Background:

The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) addresses child support issues that arise when parties reside in different states. The UIFSA was drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in the early 1990s. Washington adopted the UIFSA in 1994.

In 1996, federal welfare reform legislation required states to enact the UIFSA and any recent amendments to the UIFSA. At that time, the most recent amendments were the
commissioners' 1996 amendments, and Washington adopted these as required. In 2001, the Uniform Law Commissioners adopted additional amendments to the UIFSA.

In 2002, Washington adopted these additional amendments with an effective date of six
months following the date the U.S. Congress amended its original UIFSA mandate to include the amendments. The Congress has not yet required states to adopt the amendments. However, the Department of Health and Human Services has been granting waivers from the federal mandate to states that have been acting in compliance with the amendments, rather than the original mandate.

The 2002 Washington amendments do not address the issue of waiver.

Summary:

The contingent effective date of the 2002 Washington amendments adopting the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act amendments is changed to January 1, 2007.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   98   0
Senate   47   0

Effective: June 7, 2006