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Senate advances bill raising Office of Recovery Services fee and threshold; sponsor frames change as federal alignment
Summary
Senate considered SB226 to change fees and thresholds for the Office of Recovery Services collections program; sponsor said the bill increases a $25 fee to $35 and raises the minimum collection threshold (transcript language unclear on exact new threshold). The measure passed second reading 21‑0 and will go to third reading.
Senator Hilliard presented SB226, describing the Office of Recovery Services as the state's agency that collects child‑support payments and noting the bill updates the fee structure to align with federal changes. On the floor Hilliard summarized current practice: an annual $25 fee is charged once a case collects over a statutory threshold; the bill increases the fee and raises the collection threshold. The sponsor said, in floor remarks, the bill "increases the fee from 25 to 35" and raises the minimum collection level (the floor text reads "the 500 to $5.50," which appears to be a transcript rendering issue; the sponsor framed the change as aligning state practice with federal adjustments).
Senator Hilliard said the fee is charged only when collections exceed the stated threshold and that if no money is collected there is no charge. He described the fee as a reimbursement for collection costs and characterized the change as a modest update to federal requirements for the program.
The Senate held no additional questions on the floor and recorded a roll call: SB226 received 21 yay votes with 8 senators absent and was placed at the bottom of the third‑reading calendar.
Next steps: SB226 awaits third reading. The transcript records the sponsor’s numbers; when reporting these amounts, news accounts should cite the bill text or the legislative fiscal note for precise thresholds and fee‑change language.
