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Committee recommends further work on child-support guidelines after report cited
Summary
HB 1595, one of two child-support bills considered, was reported by the Finance Committee as recommended for further legislation after members cited a December 2022 report that cost over $100,000 and urged clearer statutory guidance on parenting-time and judicial discretion.
House Bill 1595, which would adjust child-support guidelines, was reported by the Finance Committee as recommended for further legislation on Aug. 23 following substantive debate about the adequacy of current statutory guidance.
Kevin Bridal of the Legislative Budget Assistant’s office explained HB 1595 was considered alongside HB 1564; the latter passed and was signed into law. HB 1595 included an amendment to align the two bills and had been referred for interim study. Representative Hult told the committee a December 2022 report on child-support guidelines — paid for by the state — recommended changes and that legislators "spent over a $100,000 on that report," arguing the Legislature should set clearer statutory guidelines to reduce judicial discretion and the turmoil it can cause for families.
A motion was made that HB 1595 not be recommended for further legislation; after debate and what the transcript records as a contested roll call with some confusion in tallying, the chair reported the committee would "report out as recommended for further legislation." Members asked the prevailing motion maker to prepare the written report for the record. The committee did not record any final amendment text in the hearing record.
