Overview

Title

To improve the effectiveness and available tools of State and tribal child support enforcement agencies, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

The bill wants to help people who work to collect money to support kids whose parents don't live together. It would let special helpers for Native American groups see more information to do their job better, just like helpers for everyone else can.

Summary AI

The bill, titled the "Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act," aims to improve how state and tribal agencies handle child support enforcement. It proposes changes to the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code to allow tribal child support enforcement agencies the same access to tax information as state agencies. This would help these agencies better collect overdue child support payments. Additionally, the bill includes technical amendments to existing laws to ensure cohesive implementation across relevant agencies.

Published

2024-12-24
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Reported in House
Date: 2024-12-24
Package ID: BILLS-118hr7906rh

Keywords AI

child support enforcement tribal agencies social security act internal revenue code tax information access state agencies fairness and equity administrative costs resource allocation legislative amendments

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
1,859
Pages:
10
Sentences:
22

Language

Nouns: 492
Verbs: 121
Adjectives: 79
Adverbs: 3
Numbers: 105
Entities: 113

Complexity

Average Token Length:
3.63
Average Sentence Length:
84.50
Token Entropy:
4.80
Readability (ARI):
40.90

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, known as the "Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act," aims to enhance the capabilities of State and tribal child support enforcement agencies. The bill primarily focuses on granting tribal agencies the same access to certain tax information as state agencies, thereby improving their ability to collect past-due child support. Amendments to the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code are central to these improvements, ensuring that tribal entities can operate with similar resources and tools available to state agencies.

Summary of Significant Issues

One of the main issues highlighted in the bill is the exclusion of tribal agencies from the requirement to distribute collected amounts in accordance with section 457 of the Social Security Act. This exclusion raises concerns about potential inequities between how collected support is handled by tribal versus state agencies.

The bill introduces complex amendments to the Internal Revenue Code, which might create administrative challenges. These complexities could lead to difficulties in interpretation and compliance for child support enforcement agencies. The lengthy nature of the sections concerning the disclosure of information to these agencies further complicates the situation, increasing the risk of misunderstandings.

Lastly, there is a concern regarding the potential increase in administrative costs, particularly for tribal agencies that may require additional resources to implement these changes effectively.

Impact on the Public

Broadly, this bill seeks to ensure that tribal child support enforcement agencies are on an equal footing with state agencies. By empowering tribal agencies with the same tools and access to information, the legislation strives to enhance their effectiveness in collecting child support, which could lead to improved financial stability for many families.

However, the complexities introduced might also create delays or challenges that could indirectly affect families waiting on child support payments. If agencies struggle to implement the changes efficiently, it could impact the timely collection and distribution of funds.

Impact on Stakeholders

For State and tribal child support enforcement agencies, this bill represents a significant shift. Tribal agencies, in particular, stand to benefit from increased access to information and improved mechanisms for enforcing child support obligations. However, they may also face increased administrative burdens and the need for additional resources to comply with the new requirements.

Tribal communities might experience a positive impact in terms of improved collection rates of child support, contributing to economic stability within families. Yet, there's a risk that the initial implementation phase may pose challenges as these agencies navigate the new legal landscape.

For legislators and policymakers, ensuring the fair and equitable application of these laws across different jurisdictions will be crucial. Addressing concerns regarding the exclusion of certain distribution requirements for tribal agencies could be necessary to maintain fairness and prevent potential disparities.

Issues

  • The exclusion of the requirement to distribute amounts in accordance with section 457 for Indian tribes and tribal organizations, as noted in Section 2, could lead to questions about fairness and equity in the distribution process. This deviation raises concerns about potential disparities in how collected child support is handled by different agencies.

  • The amendments to the Internal Revenue Code in Section 2 introduce complex changes that may be difficult for State, tribal, and local child support enforcement agencies to interpret and comply with. The complexity could potentially lead to administrative burdens and confusion among stakeholders.

  • The definition of 'State, tribal, or local child support enforcement agency' used within the amendments to the Internal Revenue Code might not be immediately clear to unfamiliar readers, leading to confusion. This issue is particularly pertinent in Section 2, where the term is defined in paragraph (6)(D).

  • The lengthy and complex language used in Section 2 regarding the disclosure of information to child support enforcement agencies raises the risk of misunderstandings or misinterpretations by those required to implement the changes. This complexity could impede effective enforcement and operation.

  • There is a concern about increased administrative costs and required resource allocation for implementing the proposed amendments, especially for tribal agencies that may not have had similar access or jurisdiction as state agencies before. This issue is specifically tied to Section 2.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The act is officially named the "Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act".

2. Improving the effectiveness of tribal child support enforcement agencies Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section aims to improve the effectiveness of tribal child support enforcement agencies by updating laws to ensure they have the same rights and access to tax information as state agencies do. Changes include amendments to the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code, allowing tribal agencies to collect past-due child support more effectively and to receive necessary reimbursements for reports.