STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2881

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2977

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, 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 measure is to assist the child support enforcement agency to implement federally mandated requirements and streamline the child support enforcement process in the State.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Clarifies the notice requirement to custodial parents regarding state income tax refund setoffs relating to a child support order for medical payments;

     (2)  Creates an assistant administrator position for policy and planning purposes; and

     (3)  Enables the child support enforcement agency to:

          (A)  Request an administrative hearing on its own behalf after commencement of an administrative proceeding under section 576E-5; and

          (B)  Sign proposed administrative orders when no request for an administrative hearing is made; and

          (C)  Transfer two full‑time equivalent positions, which perform similar functions, from the county of Kauai to the Department of the Attorney General.

     Your Committee finds that this measure should enhance the effectiveness of the child support enforcement agency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2977, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair