Section 17303 Of Article 3. Director Of Child Support Services From California Family Law Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 3.
17303
. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, contained in
Part D (commencing with Section 651) of Subchapter 4 of Chapter 7 of
Title 42 of the United States Code, requires that there be a single
state agency for child support enforcement. California's child
support enforcement system is extremely complex, involving numerous
state and local agencies. The state's system was divided between the
State Department of Social Services, the Attorney General's office,
the Franchise Tax Board, the Employment Development Department, the
Department of Motor Vehicles, and the 58 county district attorneys'
offices.
(b) The lack of coordination and integration between state and
local child support agencies has been a major impediment to getting
support to the children of this state. An effective child support
enforcement program must have strong leadership and effective state
oversight and management to best serve the needs of the children of
the state.
(c) The state would benefit by centralizing its obligation to hold
counties responsible for collecting support. Oversight would be best
accomplished by direct management by the state.
(d) A single state agency for child support enforcement with
strong leadership and direct accountability for local child support
agencies will benefit the taxpayers of the state by reducing the
inefficiencies introduced by involving multiple layers of government
in child support enforcement operations.