ASSISTANCE INELIGIBILITY FOR

NONCOMPLIANCE OF SUPPORT PROVISIONS

House Bill 5512 (Substitute H-1)                                          (Enacted as Public Act 375 of 2014)

Sponsor:  Rep. Kenneth Kurtz

Committee:  Families, Children, and Seniors

Complete to 5-27-14

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5512 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

The bill would amend the Social Welfare Act to specify that Family Independence Program assistance benefits could be denied or terminated if a recipient fails, without good cause, to comply with applicable child support requirements including efforts to establish paternity and assign or obtain child support.  (The underlined language is new.)

Under the bill the term "good cause" would include "an instance in which efforts to establish paternity, assign, or obtain child support would harm the child or in which there is danger of physical or emotional harm to the child or the recipient."

The bill would also strike obsolete rule-making language, and replace references to the JET program with references to the successor PATH program.

MCL 400.57 et al.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill should have no fiscal impact on the state and local units of government. DHS policy manual BEM 255 already mandates child support cooperation as a condition of eligibility. 

POSITIONS:

Friend of the Court Association, Program Leadership Group, testified in support of the bill. (5-14-14)

Department of Human Services, Office of Child Suppor, supports the bill in concept. (5-14-14)

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:   E. Best

                                                                                                Fiscal Analyst:   Kevin Koorstra

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.