Report Title:

Child support; delinquent payments

Description:

Allows the CSEA to suspend licenses of those individuals who have become delinquent in making payment after entering into an agreement once notice was sent informing the individual of the license suspension process, rather than having to reinitiate the entire license suspension process from the beginning. (HB2287 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2287

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 576D-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "compliance with an order of support" to read as follows:

""Compliance with an order of support" means that an obligor:

(1) Is not delinquent in payments in an amount equal to or greater than the sum of payments for child support for a three-month period with regard to driver's licenses and recreational licenses and a six-month period with regard to professional and vocational licenses;

[(2) Is not delinquent in making periodic payments on a support arrearage pursuant to a written agreement with the child support enforcement agency under section 576D-13(d);] or

[(3)] (2) Has obtained or maintained health insurance coverage as required by a child support order."

SECTION 2. Section 576D-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§576D-13 Suspension or denial of licenses. (a) Upon a determination that an obligor is not in compliance with an order of support as defined in section 576D-1 or that an individual failed to comply with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, and that the obligor or individual is the holder of or an applicant for a license issued by a licensing authority in this State, the agency shall serve notice upon the obligor or individual of the agency's intent to certify the obligor or individual as noncompliant with an order of support or a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, which shall direct the appropriate licensing authority to deny or suspend the license, or to deny the application for renewal, reinstatement, or restoration of such license.

(b) The notice shall be sent by regular mail to both the last known address of record of the obligor or individual as shown in the records of the licensing authority and the address of record of the obligor or individual as shown in the agency's child support record. For purposes of this section, the date of service means two days following the date of mailing. The notice shall contain the following information:

(1) Identification of the license, certificate, permit, or registration subject to suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial;

(2) The name, social security number, if available, date of birth, if known, and each applicable child support case number or numbers of the obligor or individual;

(3) The amount of the arrears, the amount of the monthly child support obligation, and reference to the support order upon which the support amount and arrears are based or the subpoena or warrant that the individual has failed to comply with;

(4) A statement that the obligor or individual may contest the suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial of a license by requesting a hearing in writing within thirty days of the date of service of the notice of intent to suspend, not renew, not reinstate, not restore, or deny the license;

(5) A statement that the obligor may contact the agency in writing within thirty days of the date of service of the notice and enter into a monthly payment agreement for the arrears owed, and if an agreement is entered into within thirty days of making contact with the agency, the agency shall not pursue the suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial of the license;

(6) A statement that an individual not in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding may contact the agency in writing within thirty days of the date of service of the notice and enter into an agreement to provide the information or appear at the proceedings, and if so, the agency shall not pursue the suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial of the license; and

(7) A statement that if the obligor or individual makes a timely request as specified in paragraph (4), the agency shall stay the action until a decision is made.

(c) [If the obligor or individual:] The agency shall certify in writing to the licensing authority that the obligor is not in compliance with an order of support, or that the individual is not in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, and shall authorize the immediate suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial of any license held or applied for by the obligor or individual if the obligor or individual:

(1) Fails to contact the agency in writing within thirty days of the date of service of the notice;

(2) Is not in compliance with an order of support, or failed to comply with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, and does not timely enter into an agreement under subsection (d); or

(3) [If the office issues a decision that the obligor or an individual is not in compliance with an order of support or has failed to comply with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, the agency shall certify in writing to the licensing authority that the obligor is not in compliance with an order of support or that the individual is not in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, and shall authorize the immediate suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial of any license held or applied for by the obligor or individual.] Is delinquent in making periodic payments on a support arrearage pursuant to a written agreement with the child support enforcement agency under subsection (d).

The agency shall provide a copy of the certification to the obligor or individual. Upon receipt of the certification, the licensing authority shall suspend any license that the obligor or individual holds or deny any license for which the obligor or individual applies without further review or hearing concerning the suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law setting terms of suspension, revocation, denial, termination, or renewal, reinstatement, or restoration of a license, a certification issued by the agency suspending, not renewing, not reinstating, not restoring, or denying a license shall be implemented by the licensing authority and continue in effect until the licensing authority receives a written release of suspension or denial from the agency, the office of child support hearings, or the family court.

(d) The obligor may enter into a payment agreement with the agency if the obligor makes contact with the agency within thirty days of the date of service of the notice, or the individual may either enter into an agreement to provide the information requested in the subpoena or appear at the proceeding required by the warrant.

(e) If the obligor or the individual requests an administrative hearing in writing within thirty days of the date of service of the notice as provided in subsection (b), the office shall schedule a hearing to determine whether the obligor is not in compliance with a support order or whether the individual is not in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with chapters 91 and 576E. The issues before the hearings officer shall be limited to whether the obligor is in compliance with an order of support or whether the individual is in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding. The hearings officer shall issue a written decision within ten days of the hearing. If the hearings officer decides that the obligor is not in compliance with a support order or that the individual is not in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, the license held or applied for by the obligor or individual shall be denied or suspended and shall not be renewed, reinstated, or restored.

(f) The decision of the hearings officer shall be final and shall be subject to judicial review as provided in chapter 91. Any suspension or denial under this section shall not be stayed pending judicial review.

(g) Upon receipt of the decision of the hearings officer that the obligor is not in compliance with a support order or that the individual is not in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, the agency shall certify in writing to the licensing authority that the obligor is not in compliance with an order of support, or that the individual is not in compliance with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, and shall authorize the immediate suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial of any license held or applied for by the obligor or individual. The agency shall provide a copy of the certification to the obligor or individual. Upon receipt of the certification, the licensing authority shall suspend any license that the obligor or individual holds or deny any license for which the obligor or individual applies without further review or hearing concerning the suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law setting terms of suspension, revocation, denial, termination, or renewal, reinstatement, or restoration of a license, a certification issued by the agency suspending, not renewing, not reinstating, not restoring, or denying a license shall be implemented by the licensing authority and continue in effect until the licensing authority receives a written release of suspension or denial from the agency, the office of child support hearings, or the family court.

[(g)] (h) When the conditions [which] that resulted in the suspension, nonrenewal, nonreinstatement, nonrestoration, or denial no longer exist, the agency shall provide the obligor or individual with written confirmation that the obligor is in compliance with the order of support or that the individual is in compliance with the subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, and the agency, office, or the family court shall issue an authorization canceling the certification in writing to the licensing authority.

[(h)] (i) If a license is suspended or denied under this section, any funds paid by the obligor or individual to the licensing authority shall not be refunded by the licensing authority, and the licensing authority may charge a fee for reinstating or restoring a license. The licensing authority may also charge the obligor or individual a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs incurred by the licensing authority in complying with this section.

[(i)] (j) The agency shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation and administration of this section. The licensing authority shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation and administration of this section. The appropriate licensing authority shall require that the social security number of any applicant for a professional license, driver's license, occupational license, recreational license, or marriage license be recorded on the application for those licenses. The social security number shall be used solely for purposes of this chapter for child support enforcement and identification."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.