State Legislation

The DCSS Legislative Committee tracks legislation relative to child support. While CSDA is not a lobbying organization, the Association is a member of this committee and provides analysis, research and subject matter experts at the State Department of Child Support Services' request with regard to legislative issues.

Please contact CSDA Executive Director David Oppenheim or CSDA Policy/Communications Analyst Natalie Metzger for more information about child support legislation and related issues.

The following are bills that make substantive changes to child support. For a complete list of child support related bills including those that appear to make non-substantive changes, click on the 2010 child support bill summary.

Child Support Bill Summary:

Bill Number	Title/Summary	Status	Policy/Fiscal Impact
AB 2559 - Perez Sponsor: Assembly Speaker Jon Perez	Social Security Numbers - Would prohibit a state agency from requiring an applicant for any benefit, service or privilege to provide his or her social security number unless the agency is otherwise expressly required by law to require that the applicant provide the social security number as a precondition to participate in the program or receive the benefit, service, or privilege. Would also prohibit the agency from retaining the person's social security number, and require the agency to conform their application forms.	Assembly Judiciary -April 6th Hearing cancelled at the request of the author.	The purpose of this bill is to reduce identity theft by making sure that agencies are not requesting information from the public that they do not need. A preliminary analysis has determined that the child support program would be exempted form this law.
SB 580 - Wright Sponsor: State DCSS	Child Support: Health Insurance - This bill specifies that the parent must maintain private, accessible health insurance coverage for the child. It defines "reasonable cost" and "accessibility" standards to conform existing California law with federal regulations.	Assembly Judiciary Committee	Under the guiding principles set by the Medical Support Workgroup, the recommended definitions do not adversely impact current support or arrears performance measures, nor increase the workload at the local level.
SB 1030 - Strickland Sponsor: Senator Strickland	Child Support: Reimbursement - Under existing law, a parent is not bound to compensate the other parent, or a relative, for the voluntary support of the parent's child, without an agreement for compensation. This bill would specify that this provision shall not prevent a parent, guardian, or relative caregiver from receiving Title IV-D child support services. This bill would add the following section to section 3951: (d) Nothing in this section shall prevent a parent, guardian, or relative caregiver from receiving child support services pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 651 et seq).	Senate Judiciary Committee - Hearing set and cancelled at the request of the author.	State DCSS does not believe this bill is necessary.
SB 1117 - Walters Sponsor: Civil Justice Association of California	Judgments: Interest - Would provide that interest on unsatisfied money judgments accrues at the federal short-term rate plus 2%, except as otherwise provided in a written contract, not to exceed 10% per annum. Would require the State Controller to annually establish the interest rate and notify the auditor in each county of that rate.	Senate Judiciary Committee	This legislation would remove the incentive for obligor parents to treat payment of child support as a high priority obligation. It was introduced in 2005 and in 2008 - each time it failed passage due to the same concerns. Click on the fact sheet for additional information provided by the author.
SB 1292 - Walters Sponsor: Conference of Delegates of the California State Bar	Child Support: Vocational Examination - This bill would amend section 4001 to order a party to submit to an examination by a vocational training counselor, as defined. The bill would provide that the focus of this examination is to obtain an assessment of a spouse's ability to obtain employment that would allow the party to meet his or her duty to provide support of the minor child.	Senate Judiciary Committee - Set for May 4th	Additional information is needed to determine the potential impact to LCSAs.
SB 1355 - Wright Sponsor: Senator Wright	Child Support: Suspension of a Support Order - Section 4007.5 would provide that all orders would contain language suspending child support obligations for periods of incarceration greater than 30 days. Support may be continued if the court finds the parent has the means to pay support during incarceration.	Senate Judiciary Committee - Set for hearing May 4th	Implementation of some variation of this bill would reduce what are likely unenforceable arrears, improving Department performance.