Existing law establishes a statewide compromise of arrears program pursuant to which the Department of Child Support Services may accept offers in compromise of child support arrears and interest accrued thereon owed to the state for reimbursement of aid paid pursuant to the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Act. Existing law provides that if an obligor owes current child support, the offer in compromise shall require the obligor to be in compliance with the current support order for a set period of time before any arrears and interest accrued thereon may be compromised. Existing law grants the administrator of a local child support agency the authority to compromise an amount of child support arrears of up to $5,000. Existing law makes a determination that it would not be in the best interest of the state to accept or rescind an offer in compromise in satisfaction of child support arrears final and not subject to specified complaint resolution processes or subject to judicial review.

This bill would instead provide that the offer in compromise may require the obligor to be in compliance with the current support order for a set period of time before any arrears and interest accrued thereon may be compromised. This bill would increase the existing authority to compromise an amount of child support arrears to $10,000. The bill would delete the above-described provision related to final determinations.