BILL NUMBER: S3660
SPONSOR: HOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the family court act, in relation to referrals for child
support enforcement for foster care maintenance payments
 
PURPOSE:
This bill defines circumstances in which it may be appropriate to
collect child support payments pursuant to approved foster care mainte-
nance payment applications.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 - amends the Family Court Act to limit liability for child
support payments pursuant to an approved application for foster care
maintenance to cases of aggravated circumstances.
Section 2 - Provides that the Office of Family and Children Services
shall promulgate any necessary rules and regulations.
Section 3 - Effective Date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Poverty is a known risk factor for involvement with the child welfare
system. Currently, a referral for child support collection can be made
upon a large number of approved applications for foster care mainte-
nance. Securing an assignment of the rights to child support is general-
ly deemed not to be cost effective as analyses have shown that very low
levels of collections are obtained. Additional research shows that
collecting child support payments can significantly delay family
reunification efforts. Recently, the Children's Bureau released revised
policy for title IV-E agencies to allow the default position of not
securing an assignment of rights to child support.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.7054-B (Hoylman-Sigal) / A.4027-A(Kim) Passed Senate/Died
in Judiciary
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.