1998-01-23                     House Journal                      Page 2114
HB 344                                                                       
HOUSE BILL NO. 344 by the House Rules Committee by request of                  
the Governor, entitled:                                                        
                                                                               
"An Act relating to paternity establishment and child support;                
relating to the crimes of criminal nonsupport and aiding the                   
nonpayment of child support; and amending Rule 37(b)(2)(D),                    
Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure; and providing for an effective                
date."                                                                         

1998-01-23                     House Journal                      Page 2115
HB 344                                                                       
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education & Social         
Services, Judiciary and Finance Committees.                                    
                                                                               
The following fiscal notes apply:                                              
                                                                               
Indeterminate fiscal note, Dept. of Administration, 1/23/98                    
Zero fiscal notes (2), Dept. of Administration, 1/23/98                        
Zero fiscal note, Dept. of Revenue, 1/23/98                                    
                                                                               
The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 21, 1998, appears              
below:                                                                         
                                                                               
"Dear Speaker Phillips:                                                        
                                                                               
While federal welfare reform law gave our state greater flexibility for        
providing public assistance, it also required Alaska and other states to       
make extensive changes to their state child support laws.  The attached        
bill is needed to satisfy mandates placed on Alaska by the federal             
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of             
1996.                                                                          
                                                                               
Failure to comply with the federal child support mandates may result           
in a significant reduction in federal financial participation to the state     
for public assistance, unemployment, and child support enforcement             
programs.                                                                      
                                                                               
The state's enactment of Senate Bill 154 last year met most, but not           
all, of the federal child support mandates of federal welfare reform.          
More needs to be done to finish the job.  This bill will do that by            
making additional changes to Alaska's statutes.                                
                                                                               
Under this bill, all employers in the state would be required to report        
each new hire to the state child support enforcement agency within 20          
days.  The state will share this information with the federal child            
support agency and the child support agencies of other states.  Timely         
access to this information may help avoid significant delays in support        
payments for some children.                                                    
                                                                               
The bill would also fine-tune state procedures for establishing paternity      
and for enforcing child support orders.  The bill would also make state        

1998-01-23                     House Journal                      Page 2116
HB 344                                                                       
law conform to new federal requirements regarding reporting of social          
security numbers for certain licensees not already required to report          
under state law.  The social security numbers provide an invaluable            
means of ensuring that support payments are timely received and                
accurately recorded.                                                           
                                                                               
The bill also amends the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act                 
(UIFSA), which Alaska enacted in 1995, to reflect subsequent changes           
to the uniform Act adopted by the National Conference of                       
Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.  Congress requires that our               
state child support laws be consistent with the uniform Act.                   
                                                                               
Finally, this bill will give state courts the power to suspend or revoke,      
in appropriate circumstances, the recreational hunting and fishing             
licenses and certain permits of obligors who are out of compliance             
with child support laws.                                                       
                                                                               
I urge your prompt attention to this important matter.  Alaska's               
children are our most precious resource and they deserve timely access         
to child support necessary for their care.                                     
                                                                               
							Sincerely,                                                              
							/s/                                                                     
							Tony Knowles                                                            
							Governor"