STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1086-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2977

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2977, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to bring the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) into compliance with federal law and improve CSEA actions.  Specifically, this bill:

     (1)  Clarifies in accord with federal law, the requirements for notice to custodial parents of state income tax refund setoffs;

     (2)  Creates another assistant administrator position within CSEA to develop and implement comprehensive planning and policy;

     (3)  Allows CSEA, on its own behalf, to request a hearing, instead of having to wait for one of the parties to make a request;

     (4)  Allows CSEA to sign proposed administrative orders when no request for hearing is received by CSEA; and

     (5)  Transfers positions from the County of Kauai to the Department of the Attorney General (AG).

     The AG testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the provisions transferring positions to the AG, by changing the status of the positions from civil service exempt, to temporary civil service positions; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2977, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2977, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Housing,

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair