Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/27/2003 01:35 PM Senate L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 146-CHILD SUPPORT/SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS CHAIR BUNDE announced HB 146 to be up for consideration. REPRESENTATIVE LESIL MCGUIRE, sponsor, said HB 146 stems from a federal act that went into place in 1996 called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of '96. The act's goal is simply to reduce dependence on welfare programs across the board. The federal act required numerous additional requirements for child support enforcement programs across the United States. One of those requirements was the reporting of social security numbers and matching it to automated data from financial institutions for the purpose of child support enforcement. REPRESENTATIVE MCGUIRE said while the welfare system was designed to provide the basics of food and shelter to children, sometimes a family was receiving welfare because a "deadbeat" mom or dad did not participate financially in their child's life. The Act recognized that new tools were needed to help state agencies crack down on "deadbeat" moms and dads. She cautioned if HB 146 is not enacted, the state would lose $75.6 million - $15.4 million for Alaska's Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) and $60.2 million for Alaska's temporary assistance program. She explained the legislature adopted the law that is before them in 1997 and readopted it in 1998 with a sunset provision. HB 146 repeals the sunset provision that would go into effect on July 1 of this year. The state would continue on with the policy that has been in place since 1997. REPRESENTATIVE MCGUIRE described another part of the bill as further clarification of existing policy. The word "resident" on page 1, line 7, was removed so that any person applying for a commercial fishing license shall provide their social security number. She noted that would codify a policy that has been in effect since 1997. CHAIR BUNDE added that a few years ago deadbeats owed over $100,000 in child support arrears and the people were all fathers and most of them were fishermen. There being no further questions, he held the bill.
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