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Legislative Update
TEXAS
WE DEFEATED THE ANTI-CUSTODIAL PARENT TEXAS CHILD SUPPORT BILL! In March 2005, Representative Helen Giddings (D-Dallas) introduced House Bill 3120 that would have completely driven every private child support enforcement agency out of the State of Texas. This would leave tens of thousands of custodial parents without any effective option for collecting their child support. Fortunately, a number of NCCSO members appeared at the House Judiciary Committee hearing to show their opposition to the bill. It was our opposition that ultimately led to the death of the legislation.
OUR VOICES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
CALIFORNIA
Thanks in large part to the telephone calls and letters sent by NCCSO members, Governor Schwarzenegger has vetoed Senate Bill 339! California parents Elisa Martinez, Mary Parker, Nancy Jarvi and Mary Asher also went the extra mile and testified before the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Elisa told NCCSO “I find it satisfying that the legislative process actually works the way it is supposed to. Ultimately, the political process was influenced by the voice of the people.”
This bill had many requirements which would have made it impossible for private child support enforcement agencies to continue providing services. David Conder, President of the Child Support Enforcement Council, the industry association for private child support enforcement companies, stated, “We supported many of the consumer protection provisions contained in the legislation, and those provisions made up about 85% of the bill. However, we simply could not support the arbitrary economic restrictions which would have forced private child support enforcement agencies to work well below the break-even level. Such restrictions always cause one of two results – either private companies stop offering services in that state, or they provide greatly reduced services and accept only the easiest cases, leaving those with the toughest cases without any help at all.”
In his veto message, Governor Schwarzenegger acknowledged that parents should have the valuable option to hire private child support enforcement agencies. As he stated, “Private child support collection agencies are valuable participants along with government efforts to collect child support and offer consumers a choice.”
Read the Governor’s veto message.
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