RCW 26.19.027
Work group review and recommendations. (Expires June 30, 2009.)

(1) By August 1, 2007, the division of child support shall convene a work group to examine the current laws, administrative rules, and practices regarding child support, with members as provided in this subsection. The objective of the work group shall be to continue the work of the 2005 child support guidelines work group, and produce findings and recommendations to the legislature, including recommendations for legislative action, by December 30, 2008.

     (a) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives;

     (b) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses in the senate;

     (c) The governor, in consultation with the division of child support, shall appoint the following members:

     (i) The director of the division of child support;

     (ii) A professor of law specializing in family law;

     (iii) A representative from the Washington state bar association's family law executive committee;

     (iv) An economist;

     (v) A representative of the tribal community;

     (vi) Two representatives from the superior court judges association, including a superior court judge and a court commissioner who is familiar with child support issues;

     (vii) A representative from the administrative office of the courts;

     (viii) A prosecutor appointed by the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys;

     (ix) A representative from legal services;

     (x) Three noncustodial parents, each of whom may be a representative of an advocacy group, an attorney, or an individual, with at least one representing the interests of low-income, noncustodial parents;

     (xi) Three custodial parents, each of whom may be a representative of an advocacy group, an attorney, or an individual, with at least one representing the interests of low-income, custodial parents;

     (xii) An administrative law judge appointed by the office of administrative hearings.

     (2) The director of the division of child support shall serve as chair of the work group.

     (3) The division of child support shall provide staff support to the work group.

     (4) The work group shall review and make recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the child support guidelines in Washington state. In preparing the recommendations, the work group shall, at a minimum, review the following issues:

     (a) How the support schedule and guidelines shall treat children from other relationships, including whether the whole family formula should be applied presumptively;

     (b) Whether the economic table for calculating child support should include combined income greater than five thousand dollars;

     (c) Whether the economic table should start at one hundred twenty-five percent of the federal poverty guidelines, and move upward in one hundred dollar increments;

     (d) Whether the economic table should distinguish between children under twelve years of age and over twelve years of age;

     (e) Whether child care costs and ordinary medical costs should be included in the economic table, or treated separately;

     (f) Whether the estimated cost of child rearing, as reflected in the economic table, should be based on the Rothbarth estimate, the Engle estimator, or some other basis for calculating the cost of child rearing;

     (g) Whether the self-support reserve should be tied to the federal poverty level;

     (h) How to treat imputation of income for purposes of calculating the child support obligation, including whether minimum wage should be imputed in the absence of adequate information regarding income;

     (i) How extraordinary medical expenses should be addressed, either through the basic child support obligation or independently;

     (j) Whether the amount of the presumptive minimum order should be adjusted;

     (k) Whether gross or net income should be used for purposes of calculating the child support obligation;

     (l) How to treat overtime income or income from a second job for purposes of calculating the child support obligation;

     (m) Whether the noncustodial parent's current child support obligation should be limited to forty-five percent of net income; and

     (n) Whether the residential schedule should affect the amount of the child support obligation.

     (5) Legislative members of the work group shall be reimbursed for travel expenses under RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employee or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

     (6) This section expires June 30, 2009.

[2007 c 313 § 7.]

NOTES:

     Findings -- 2007 c 313: See note following RCW 26.19.025.