Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Ways & Means Committee |
HB 3224
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Suspending the child support pass through payment.
Sponsors: Representatives Pettigrew and Schmick; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 12/11/10
Staff: Trudes Tango (786-7384).
Background:
Federal law requires states to have a child support enforcement program that complies with federal requirements as a condition of receiving federal funds for child support enforcement and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. As a condition of receiving TANF cash benefits, a family must assign its rights to child support to the state during the months the family receives TANF benefits. Assigned child support collections are retained by states and the federal government as partial reimbursement for TANF assistance.
The federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) allows states to pass-through up to $100 a month of collected child support to TANF families with one child and up to $200 a month of collected child support to TANF families with two or more children without having to reimburse the federal government for its share of the child support collected. This is known as the child support pass-through. States that opt to implement the child support pass-through must disregard the child support collection paid to the family in determining the family's cash TANF benefit.
Washington implemented child support pass-through payments in October 2008. The Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS) is required to pass-through to TANF families up to $100 per month in collected child support for one child and up to $200 per month in child support for two or more children.
Summary of Bill:
The Division of Child Support must ensure that the child support pass-through payment is suspended as of May 1, 2011, and all rules to the contrary adopted before May 1, 2011, are without force and effect.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on May 1, 2011.