Issue:
Should states that respond to another state's request to assist in establishing a child support case be allowed to establish an interstate case; and thereby use the CSE statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system for interstate cases?
Background:
The 1996 welfare reform law mandated states to establish procedures under which the state would use high-volume automated administrative enforcement, to the same extent as used for intrastate cases, in response to a request from another state to enforce a child support order.
This provision was designed to enable child support agencies to quickly locate and secure assets held by delinquent non-custodial parents in another state without opening a full-blown interstate child support enforcement case in the other state. The assisting state must use automatic data processing to search various state data bases including financial institutions, license records, employment service data, and state new hire registries, to determine whether information is available regarding a parent who owes a child support obligation, the assisting state is then required to seize any identified assets. This provision does not allow states to open/establish a child support interstate case.
A proposal allows states that cannot now use their automated systems to provide high-volume automated administrative enforcement services in interstate cases to choose to open a case in order to assist other states in collecting child support. This will increase interstate child support collections.
NCCSD Statement in Support:
NCCSD supports high-volume and automated processing of interstate cases. By allowing states to quickly compare information with retained data bases, and certify the amount of support and arrears without transferring cases, but by establishing a corresponding case based on the other state's request for assistance will improve and expedite the interstate process. Further, the use of automated systems to compare data matches with financial institutions and other entities to expedite the seizure of assets by the State, through levy or other appropriate processes will improve interstate child support enforcement.