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Rep. Jim Moeller, serving the 49th District Serving Western Vancouver, as well as Hazel Dell and the surrounding communitites of southwestern Clark County. |
Senate passes Moeller’s legislation
updating table for
child-support payments
Lawmaker says measure strives to implement work group’s consensus
April 3, 2009
OLYMPIA – Having won unanimous approval in both legislative chambers,
state Rep. Jim Moeller’s measure updating the table used for calculating
child-support payments is now headed to the governor’s desk.
Moeller’s bill directs that the child-support obligation owed for all of a
parent’s biological or legal children (rather than “total” support) must not
exceed 45 percent of net income except for good cause.
The measure
also emphasizes that income from a second job won’t be calculated in the
support schedule if the income is used to pay off debt associated with the
support of the child. Health-care expenses will now be considered additional
costs and be considered outside the schedule.
The Clark County
Democratic lawmaker explained that a parent’s child-support schedule
includes standards, work sheets, and an economic table that establishes a
presumptive amount of child support based on the combined monthly net income
of both parents.
“A number of citizens volunteered their time and
their viewpoints in developing this new schedule,” Moeller said of the
child-support work group that has been studying the matter the past year.
“No, this bill isn’t perfect. But it is a strong and sincere attempt to
implement consensus items reached by the work group.”