BILL NUMBER: ACR 21CHAPTERED BILL TEXT RESOLUTION CHAPTER 127 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 29, 2012 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 22, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 7, 2012 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Davis FEBRUARY 16, 2011 Relative to Child Support Awareness Month. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 21, Davis. Family law: Child Support Awareness Month. This measure would make findings regarding California's child support services program and the importance of child support to children and families, and would declare August 2012 as Child Support Awareness Month. WHEREAS, The mission of the California Department of Child Support Services is to enhance the well-being of children and the self-sufficiency of families by providing professional services to locate parents, establish paternity, and establish and enforce orders for financial and medical support; and WHEREAS, California's child support services program works with parents, whether they are paying or receiving child support, to ensure that children and families receive court-ordered financial and medical support; and WHEREAS, Child support services are available to the public through a network of 51 county and regional child support agencies. County professionals work very hard to ensure that the children in the program can rely on their parents for the financial and medical support that they need to be healthy and successful; and WHEREAS, Child support collections in California increased by $37 million in the state fiscal year ending in June 2011, with the total distributed collections at $2.3 billion. Of that $2.3 billion, $1.8 billion was distributed directly to families, and $500 million was distributed to the state and federal government for recoupment of public assistance and foster care expenses; and WHEREAS, Child support is an effective investment in California's future. The child support program increases family self-sufficiency, reduces child poverty, and has a positive effect on children's educational achievement. Nationally, one in four children are served by child support programs; and WHEREAS, The focus in 2012 of Child Support Awareness Month is the very important role of parents in creating a positive environment for their children. Child support provides security, instills confidence, maintains trust, and helps to make childhood dreams come true; and WHEREAS, During the month of August 2012, parents who have fallen behind in making their child support payments are encouraged to drop by their local child support agency to make a payment, seek modification of their child support order, obtain a repayment plan, and find out whether they qualify for a compromise on an overdue balance; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the month of August 2012 as Child Support Awareness Month, and encourages all Californians to recognize the importance of child support to the happiness and security of our children; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.