HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1298
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. |
As Reported by House Committee On:
Judiciary
Title: An act relating to child support order summary report forms.
Brief Description: Concerning child support order summary report forms.
Sponsors: Representative Kelley.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Judiciary: 1/31/11, 2/3/11 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY |
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Pedersen, Chair; Goodman, Vice Chair; Shea, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Eddy, Frockt, Kirby, Klippert, Nealey, Orwall, Rivers and Roberts.
Staff: Trudes Tango (786-7384).
Background:
Parties establishing or modifying a child support order must fill out the child support order summary report form. The parties must attach the form to the child support worksheets filed with the court. The clerk sends the forms to the Division of Child Support (DCS) at the Department of Social and Health Services, and the DCS prepares a report using the data from these forms. The DCS report is to be used for reviewing the state's child support laws. Federal law requires states to review their child support laws every four years.
In 2007 the Legislature directed the DCS to convene a work group every four years to conduct these reviews. As part of the 2007 legislation, the Legislature required the Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee (JLARC) to analyze the data from the summary report forms.
The JLARC found that the information received from these forms is incomplete, may not be accurate, and is unusable for purposes of the review required by federal law. In its final report, the JLARC recommends that the Legislature eliminate the summary report forms, specify that the DCS should use data from the actual child support orders to compile its report, and specify that the work groups conducting the reviews use the DCS report based on data collected from the orders.
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Summary of Bill:
References to the child support summary order report forms are removed from the statutes. To prepare its report, the DCS must use data compiled from child support orders, and the work groups conducting the quadrennial reviews must review the DCS report.
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Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) The child support summaries are put together by the parties and they are just guessing about the numbers. These forms are often incorrect. This bill requires the DCS to look at the orders themselves. It is a simple bill that came from the JLARC study. The bill was voted out of the House unanimously last year.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Kelley, prime sponsor.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: