Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Child Support topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House debates child-support deduction bill amid objections it would create 'double-dipping'
Summary
Lawmakers debated HB 12-25, which would allow certain payroll tax deductions in child-support calculations; opponents said the change duplicates deductions already applied by the Bureau of Child Support, while supporters argued it corrects an omission in the worksheet. The committee report passed on a roll-call vote.
Representative Jay Markell, speaking for the majority committee, outlined how New Hampshire’s income-shares worksheet produces presumptive child-support awards and described the allowable adjustments that feed into the calculation. He explained the worksheet’s step-by-step approach to deriving a presumptive support figure and said HB 12-25 would clarify treatment of certain payroll deductions.
Representative Buzz Sherr rose to oppose the committee report, arguing the Bureau of Child Support already deducts Social Security and Medicare taxes and that the bill would permit a second deduction — a "double-dipping" that would reduce the dollar amount paid to obligees. "This bill... turns into a double-dipping bill that reduces... the amount of child support an individual will have to pay, unfairly," he said on the floor.
Supporters countered that the child-support worksheet and its instructions do not currently include the employee-side Social Security/Medicare deduction and that HB 12-25 would align treatment across pay types and produce a fairer outcome for obligors without undermining support for children. Members asked parliamentary inquiries about current administrative practice; proponents said the deduction is not reflected automatically on the worksheet and must be entered manually.
After extended debate and a requested division and roll-call, the committee report on HB 12-25 was adopted. The chair announced the state of the vote as 185 in the affirmative and 152 in the negative.
What happens next: The adopted committee recommendation moves the bill forward in the legislative process; the clerk will publish the roll-call in the permanent journal and any implementing guidance will come from the judiciary or child-support administrative bodies if the measure advances further.
Attribution: Quotes and attributions are drawn from House floor debate and are attributed to the speakers who spoke on the record.
