_______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 418
_______________________________________________
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
C 440 L 87
State of Washington 50th Legislature 1987 Regular Session
By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Armstrong, Schmidt, Holm, Brekke, Sutherland, Locke, Winsley and Todd; by request of Department of Social and Health Services)
Read first time 3/4/87 and passed to Committee on Rules.
AN ACT Relating to child support; creating new sections; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) A child support schedule commission is established. The commission shall recommend a child support schedule and propose changes in the schedule to the legislature no later than November 1, 1987.
(2) The commission shall be composed of the secretary of social and health services or the secretary's designee and nine other members. Seven members shall be appointed by the governor as follows: (a) A superior court judge; (b) a representative from the state bar association; (c) an attorney representing indigent persons in Washington; (d) two other persons who have demonstrated an interest or expertise in the study of economic data or child support issues, one of which shall be a non-custodial parent; and (e) two public members who represent the affected populations, one of which shall be a non-custodial parent. Two members shall be the administrator for the courts or his or her designee and the attorney general or his or her designee. In making the appointments, the governor shall seek the recommendations of the association of superior court judges in respect to the member who is a superior court judge; and of the state bar association in respect to the state bar association and indigent attorney representatives.
(3) The secretary of social and health services or the secretary's designee shall serve as chairman of the commission.
(4) The secretary shall serve on the commission during the secretary's tenure as secretary of social and health services. In the event of a vacancy, the appointing authority shall designate a new member to complete the remainder of the unexpired term.
(5) Commission members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(6) The office of support enforcement shall provide clerical and other support to the commission to enable it to perform its functions.
(7) The commission shall invite public participation and input, particularly from persons who are affected by child support orders.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The child support schedule commission shall propose a child support schedule to the legislature no later than November 1, 1987.
(2) The commission shall set the child support schedule and recommended revisions based upon:
(a) Updated economic data which accurately reflects family spending and child rearing costs for families of different sizes and income levels in the state of Washington;
(b) Appropriate adjustments for significant changes in child rearing costs at different age levels;
(c) The need for funding of the child's primary residence by a payment which is sufficient to meet the basic needs of the child;
(d) Provisions for health care coverage and, when needed, child care payments; and
(e) The support amount shall be based on the child's age, the parent's combined income, and the family size. Family size shall mean all children for whom support is to be established.
(3) The commission shall establish standards for applying the child support schedule. Included in these standards shall be:
(a) The type, net or gross, and sources of income on which support amounts shall be based;
(b) Provisions for taking into account the voluntary unemployment or underemployment of one or both parents or if the income of a parent is not known;
(c) Provisions for taking into account a parent whose income varies; and
(d) Provisions for taking into account the differing cost of living in the various counties in this state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The superior court in each judicial district shall adopt a child support schedule by August 1, 1987.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act shall expire July 1, 1988.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.