January 22, 2008

 

CCAP Bill Gets Senate Approval

MADISON – On Tuesday, the Wisconsin State Senate passed Assembly Bill 39.  The bill grants the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and county child support agencies access to the State Supreme Court’s Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP) case management system.

“It’s an unfortunate reality today that a lot of kids grow up without a dad,” said Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee), the bill’s Senate co-author. “Even if the dad isn’t there physically or emotionally, though, we owe it to the kids to hold him accountable financially.  This bill puts the resources in place so that we can do that without any unnecessary delays.”

To facilitate justice around Wisconsin, CCAP maintains a closed-access website containing records of all pending paternity actions in Wisconsin state courts.  DWD and county child support agencies depend on these records to run the state’s child and spousal support programs.  Rather than giving them statewide access to the website, though, current state law requires DWD and county agencies to request the information from the clerk of circuit court.

“The current law is simply inefficient,” Taylor commented. “It takes up time and resources and drags out the process for the families involved.  It hurts families and it costs our taxpayers.  This is a change that benefits everybody.”

Assembly Bill 39 passed the Senate unanimously after passing the Assembly 94-2 on October 24th, 2007.  It is not yet known when Governor Doyle will take up the bill.