STAND. COM. REP. NO. 515

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 891

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 891 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INCOME WITHHOLDING FOR CHILD SUPPORT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the income withholding requirements to impose a fine against any employer who:

     (1)  Discharges from employment, refuses to employ, or takes disciplinary action against any noncustodial parent subject to income withholding; or

     (2)  Fails to withhold support from income or pay the amounts to the Child Support Enforcement Agency.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

     Your Committees find that under federal law, each state is required to have in effect the imposition of a fine against any employer who discharges from employment, refuses to employ, or takes disciplinary action against any noncustodial parent subject to income withholding; or fails to withhold support from income or pay the amounts to a child support enforcement agency.  This measure ensures compliance with federal law and maintains eligibility for federal welfare funding and federal funding of child support enforcement programs.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 891, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 891, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Human Services,

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair

________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair