THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

82

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

convening a task force to evaluate child support adjustments for activated military personnel and recommend solutions.

 

WHEREAS, the war on terrorism has affected many Hawaii residents with the activation of many military personnel, and for many who have full-time jobs in the private sector, the full-time status in the military means significant pay cuts; and

WHEREAS, many of the activated military personnel have families they support, as well as children from previous relationships they provide for through child support payments; and

WHEREAS, while their income decreases substantially, their child support payments are not automatically decreased, regardless of their decrease in pay; and

WHEREAS, child support payments may be adjusted by administrative law proceedings or court orders; however, either process takes time that the activated military personnel usually does not have and often involves hiring an attorney; and

WHEREAS, once the child support payments are due or in arrears, the amount of the payment is not adjustable for any reason, including hardships or changes in income; and

WHEREAS, with the decrease in pay and child support payment amounts remaining the same, many of the activated military personnel's current families have less to live on while families from previous relationships continue living without any of the hardships from the decrease in pay; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, the House of Representatives concurring, that a task force be convened to study and determine whether there should be amendments to current child support laws for activated military personnel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include, but not be limited to, representatives from the Department of Human Services, the Department of the Attorney General, the Judiciary, and the United States Department of Defense to be convened by the Judiciary no later than August 1, 2004; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force submit a report of its findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2005; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Services, the Attorney General, the Administrative Director of the Courts, the United States Secretary of Defense, and the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, or their respective designees.

Report Title:

Modifications to Child Support Payments for Activated Military Personnel