Bill Text: CT HB06688 | 2015 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: An Act Expanding The Commission For Child Support Guidelines.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2015-05-18 - Senate Calendar Number 536 [HB06688 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2015-HB06688-Comm_Sub.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 6688
January Session, 2015		LCO No. 3222
		*_____HB06688GAE___031215____*
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)

AN ACT EXPANDING THE COMMISSION FOR CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 46b-215a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) The Commission for Child Support Guidelines is established to issue child support and arrearage guidelines to ensure the appropriateness of criteria for the establishment of child support awards and to review and issue updated guidelines every four years. Such guidelines shall ensure, subject to section 46b-215c, that current support, health care coverage, child care contribution and orders of payment on any arrearage and past due support shall be based on the income of both parents and the obligor's ability to pay. Such guidelines shall also ensure the appropriateness of periodic payment orders on arrearages when the obligor (1) is the child's legal guardian and resides with the child, or (2) is not the child's legal guardian but has resided with the child either for at least six months immediately preceding the order of payment on the arrearage or for at least six months of the twelve months immediately preceding such order. In such cases, the commission shall consider exemptions similar to those in the uniform contribution scale adopted pursuant to section 4a-12. Updated arrearage guidelines shall be issued at the same time as the child support guidelines.

(b) The commission shall consist of [eleven] thirteen members as follows:

(1) The Chief Court Administrator, or the Chief Court Administrator's designee;

(2) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee;

(3) The Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee;

(4) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee on judiciary, or their designees;

(5) The Child Advocate or the Child Advocate's designee;

(6) The director of the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement, or the director's designee;

[(5)] (7) A representative of the Connecticut Bar Association, designated by the Connecticut Bar Association; and

[(6)] (8) Three members appointed by the Governor, one of whom represents an agency that delivers legal services to the poor, one of whom represents the financial concerns of child support obligors and one of whom represents the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.

(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall convene the commission whenever a review is required to issue updated guidelines pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and shall provide staffing for the administrative and regulatory responsibilities of the commission and, within available appropriations, funding for economic studies required by the commission.

(d) The chairperson of the commission shall be elected by the members of the commission. A vacancy on the commission at any time shall not invalidate any actions taken by the commission during such vacancy, provided at least nine members of the commission are serving at the time of such action.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2015	46b-215a

HS	Joint Favorable C/R	GAE
GAE	Joint Favorable