KHON2 News Speaks with Gavin Doi about Child Support

KHON2 News speaks with Gavin Doi of Doi/Luke, Islandlawyers on February 3, 2015, about a proposed law in he Hawaii Legislature to collect child support from grandparents of children on state assistance. Specifically, the proposed State House Bill 128 would allow the State, via the Child Support Enforcement Agency, to pursue the parents of minors who have children on State assistance. Essentially the bill would hold grandparents responsible for welfare payments made to their grandchildren if the parents of those grandchildren are still under 18. The gist of the bill is not really pursuing “grandparents,” but rather making parents liable when their teen children have their own babies. This liability would end when the parents of the children on assistance turn 18.

As of March 27, 2015, House Bill 128 has passed second reading in the House of Representatives, and is currently being discussed in the House Judiciary Committee.

[Update: the 2015 Hawaii Legislative session adjourned on May 7, 2015, without full action on the bill]