BILL REQ. #:  H-0747.1 

Read first time 01/18/11.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to child support order summary report forms; amending RCW 26.18.210 and 26.19.025; and repealing RCW 26.09.173 and 26.10.195.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 26.18.210 and 2007 c 313 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (((1) The administrative office of the courts shall develop a child support order summary report form to provide for the reporting of summary information in every case in which a child support order is entered or modified either judicially or administratively. The child support order summary report must be included at the top of the first page of the Washington state child support worksheets, but must not be considered part of the worksheets.
     (2) The child support order summary report form must include all data the department of social and health services division of child support has determined necessary,)) In order to perform the required quadrennial review of the Washington state child support guidelines under RCW 26.19.025((.)), the division of child support must ((store and maintain all of the order summary report information and)) prepare a report at least every four years using data compiled from child support court and administrative orders. The report must include all information the division of child support determines is necessary to perform the quadrennial review. On a monthly basis, the clerk of the court must forward all child support worksheets that have been filed with the court to the division of child support.

Sec. 2   RCW 26.19.025 and 2007 c 313 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Beginning in 2011 and every four years thereafter, the division of child support shall convene a work group to review the child support guidelines and the child support review report prepared under RCW 26.19.026 and 26.18.210 and determine if the application of the child support guidelines results in appropriate support orders. Membership of the work group shall be determined as provided in this subsection.
     (a) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate;
     (b) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives;
     (c) The governor, in consultation with the division of child support, shall appoint the following members:
     (i) The director of the division of child support;
     (ii) A professor of law specializing in family law;
     (iii) A representative from the Washington state bar association's family law executive committee;
     (iv) An economist;
     (v) A representative of the tribal community;
     (vi) Two representatives from the superior court judges association, including a superior court judge and a court commissioner who is familiar with child support issues;
     (vii) A representative from the administrative office of the courts;
     (viii) A prosecutor appointed by the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys;
     (ix) A representative from legal services;
     (x) Three noncustodial parents, each of whom may be a representative of an advocacy group, an attorney, or an individual, with at least one representing the interests of low-income, noncustodial parents;
     (xi) Three custodial parents, each of whom may be a representative of an advocacy group, an attorney, or an individual, with at least one representing the interests of low-income, custodial parents; and
     (xii) An administrative law judge appointed by the office of administrative hearings.
     (2) Appointments to the work group shall be made by December 1, 2010, and every four years thereafter. The governor shall appoint the chair from among the work group membership.
     (3) The division of child support shall provide staff support to the work group, and shall carefully consider all input received from interested organizations and individuals during the review process.
     (4) The work group may form an executive committee, create subcommittees, designate alternative representatives, and define other procedures, as needed, for operation of the work group.
     (5) Legislative members of the work group shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employee or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (6) By October 1, 2011, and every four years thereafter, the work group shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature, including recommendations for legislative action, if necessary.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 26.09.173 (Modification of child support order -- Child support order summary report) and 2007 c 313 s 2 & 1990 1st ex.s. c 2 s 23; and
     (2) RCW 26.10.195 (Modification of child support order -- Child support order summary report) and 2007 c 313 s 3 & 1990 1st ex.s. c 2 s 24.