Statute Review Committee
Georgia Commission on Child Support
Friday, November 16, 2018
Meeting Minutes

I. Welcomes and Introductions

 The Statute Review Committee meeting was called to order at 9:04 a.m. by Katie Connell, Co-Chair.  Judge Shawn LaGrua, Co-Chair, could not attend the meeting due to a conflict.  Members and attendees were asked to introduce themselves, including those attending by phone.  The Statute Review Committee consists of 11 members and seven were in attendance for this meeting, which constituted a quorum for voting.

 II. Review of Minutes

 Members of the Committee reviewed the minutes from the September 21, 2018 meeting.  A motion was made to approve the minutes, seconded and unanimously approved.

 III. Old Business – Katie Connell

A. Ms. Connell reported that LC 29 8154 was ready for review. Jill Travis gave an update on the draft legislation.  The bill will remove alimony from deviations; add Adoption Assistance as an exclusion from gross income; cleans up one more location in the statute to state that income cannot be imputed at minimum wage for 40 hours per week, in compliance with the federal final rule; and corrects punctuation, grammar, and language in the statute, and adds “or the jury” where appropriate.

The members of the Committee indicated they had no further questions or need for discussion on the bill.  There was a motion made to approve and send LC 29 8154 to the Commission.  The motion received a second and was unanimously approved.

B. Parenting Time Survey report by Elaine Johnson. Johnson stated there was a handout in the packet of materials distributed, a one-page document that covers the survey from the May 24, 2018 Statue Review meeting.  She explained that Judge LaGrua had asked the staff to send out a survey to Superior Court Judges, and that staff should have reported on the outcome of the survey at the September, 2018.  The survey question was: Should there be a formula for a presumptive adjustment for parenting time in the child support worksheet.  Four responses were received from the Superior Court judges.  Judge A from Metro Atlanta, Judge B from southeastern Georgia, Judges C and D from northeastern Georgia.  The response from each judge was “no,” there is no need for parenting time formula in the worksheet.

IV. New Business. Katie Connell

A. Representative Beth Beskin who is a member of this Committee and the Commission, will not be returning to the Legislature in 2019, so the Committee needs to identify a new sponsor for LC 29 8154. Barr, who is a member of the Commission, has agreed to continue to allow his authorization to be used so work on the bill may continue.  We still need someone to carry the bill and be the first signer on the bill.  Members discussed several options.  The staff will contact Rep. Barr to discuss the issue.

Judge Michael Key stated he would like to see someone with family law experience appointment to the Commission, and that he has suggestion for the appointment.  He also reminded the members that we will have a new member appointed from the House of Representatives as well.

V. Schedule Next meeting

Elaine Johnson explained that with the election of a new Governor, the replacement of Commission members will take a little time since the Governor will have many appointments to make in different Commissions and Committees.  Ms. Johnson stated that staff will follow up with the new Governor’s appointment secretary and keep the Commission and Committee members informed when new members are appointed.  As a result, no future meeting was set due to the upcoming 2019 Legislative Session.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:21 a.m.