OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT: CENTRALIZE AND ADD DUTIES
House Bill 6008
Sponsor: Rep. Doug Hart
Committee: Family and Children Services
Complete to 5-8-02
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6008 AS INTRODUCED 5-7-02
The bill would amend the Office of Child Support Act (Public Act 174 of 1971) to add new duties to the Office of Child Support and centralize enforcement procedures.
The bill adds that the OCS would provide discovery and support for support enforcement activities as provided in the Support and Parenting Time Enforcement Act (Public Act 296 of 1982). In addition, the OCS would implement safeguards against the unauthorized use or disclosure of case record information that are designed to protect the privacy rights of the parties as specified in the federal Social Security Act and that are consistent with the use and disclosure standards provided under the Social Welfare Act (Public Act 280 of 1939). Finally, the OCS would centralize administrative enforcement remedies and develop and implement a centralized enforcement program to facilitate the collection of support for Court Family Services Office cases.
The bill states that the OCS could centralize administrative enforcement procedures for services provided under Part D of Title IV of the federal Social Security Act. In addition, the OCS could centralize the enforcement activities for Court Family Services Office cases in which arrearages are greater than or equal to the amount of support payable for one year, or based on other criteria as established by the OCS and the State Court Administrative Office. Each Court Family Services Office would provide the OCS with any information necessary to identify cases eligible for enforcement, in addition to case information necessary for the office to pursue enforcement remedies.
The OCS's centralized enforcement could include any enforcement remedy under the Support and Parenting Enforcement Act; contracting with a public or private collection agency; contracting with a public or private locator service; publishing a delinquent payer's name; or entering into a local or regional agreement with a law enforcement agency or prosecutor.
In addition, the OCS would be required to develop a system to track each case selected for centralized enforcement so that the appropriate Court Family Services Office can be identified. The OCS would process collections that resulted from the centralized enforcement through the State Disbursement Unit (SDU) and, for the purpose of child support incentive collections, would credit those collections to the appropriate Court Family Services Office.
The added ability of the OCS to centralize enforcement procedures would not limit the office's ability to enter into agreements for support enforcement with a Court Family Services
Office, law enforcement agency, prosecutor, governmental unit, or private entity as that ability existed prior to the enactment of the bill.
The bill is tie-barred to House Bill 6011.
MCL 400.231 et al.
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.