STAND. COM. REP. NO. 531

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 851

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 851, 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 bring Hawaii's child support laws into conformance with federal law.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Clarifies the requirement that all income withholding payments for child support pursuant to a court order be sent to the Child Support Enforcement Agency or to another state's child support agency acting under title IV-D of the Social Security Act;

     (2)  Allows the Child Support Enforcement Agency to disburse funds to custodial parents by electronic deposit or debit card;

     (3)  Allows as valid proof of service by certified mail the receipt of an electronic copy or facsimile of a signature on certified mail receipts in lieu of an actual signature;

     (4)  Clarifies that the child support enforcement agencies in other states acting under title IV-D of the Social Security Act may directly enforce a child support lien, acknowledging the federal law's provision of full faith and credit to child support liens arising in other states;

     (5)  Clarifies that payments from a financial institution may be made directly to the entity seeking to enforce a child support lien without the involvement of the Child Support Enforcement Agency, if that financial institution complies with the State's procedural rules; and

     (6)  Requires that only the last four digits of the obligor's social security number be indicated on the notice of child support lien.

     Your Committee finds that this measure conforms Hawaii law to with Title VI-D of the Social Security Act.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 851, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair