SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA

ROBERT G. ESDALE

OFFICE OF THE CLERK 300 DEXTER AVENUE.

CLERK

LYNN KNIGHT

MONTGOMERY, AL 36104-3741

ASSISTANT CLERK

(334) 242-4609

MEMORANDUM

TO:   Members, Advisory Committee on Child Support Guidelines and Enforcement

FROM:   Alex Jackson, Esq.

Staff Attorney, Supreme Court Clerk's Office

DATE:   February 20, 2004

RE:   Public Hearings/Meeting on Child Support Guidelines .

By Order dated December 30, 2003, this Court appointed each of you to the Advisory Committee on Child Support Guidelines and Enforcement (hereinafter "the Committee").

Rule 32(G), Alabama Rules of Judicial Administration (ARJA), mandates that the Administrative Director of Courts review the Child Support Guidelines and the appended Schedule of Basic Child Support Obligations (hereinafter "the Schedule"), at least once every four years.

In order to prepare for another review of the Guidelines and the Schedule, Randy Helms, the Administrative Director of Courts, sent a request for proposal to assist him in reviewing and updating the Schedule to over 1,100 vendors, supplied by a list from the Division of Purchasing of the State Finance Department containing names of consultants and cost estimators, as well as five other persons or entities who have dealt with updating other States' Child Support Guidelines and a list obtained from the Internet of 29 colleges and universities around the State of Alabama with economics departments. The deadline set for receiving proposals for updating the Schedule was December 11, 2003, at 5:00 p.m. As of 5:00 p.m. on December 11, 2003, Mr. Helms received only one proposal: Policy Studies, Inc. of Denver, Colorado.

A contract was entered by and between Mr. Helms and Policy Studies, Inc. for the purpose of updating the Schedule. Being a public contract, it was placed on the January 8, 2004, agenda of the Contract Review Committee for its review and approval. On January 8, 2004, the Contract Review Committee approved the Contract. Staff at Policy Studies, Inc. was informed to begin work on a report recommending any updates to the Schedule no later than February 15, 2004.

Once the Contract was approved, staff in this Court's Clerk's office coordinated with the Chairman to set up a time for a public hearing and a meeting of the Committee to receive comments on updating the Child Support Guidelines and the Schedule. Two days were set for the public hearing: Wednesday, March 10, 2004, and Thursday, March 11, 2004. Friday, March 12, 2004, was set for the meeting of the Committee.
The main purpose of the Committee meeting is to review the report from Policy Studies, Inc., proposing an update to the Schedule, a copy of which is attached. The main purpose of the two-day public hearing is for the Committee to receive comments and suggestions from any interested person or entity with interest in the Alabama Child Support Guidelines, in either written form, or in person in a public hearing format, so that any input may be received.
		The following guidelines shall be followed in conducting the public hearing:
(1) Notice of the date, time, and place, as well as the content, of the public hearing shall be given through a public service announcement to every newspaper of general circulation in the State to be published once prior to the beginning of the public hearing. The public service announcement also shall be provided to every major radio and television station for airing at least once prior to the public hearing.
(2) This Notice shall specify that individuals wishing to appear before the Advisory Committee to speak in person must submit a WRITTEN REQUEST that is postmarked no later than Friday, March 5, 2004, to the following: Child Support Guidelines Public Hearing, c/o Alex Jackson, Esq., Supreme Court Clerk's office, 300 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104-3741. The written request may be faxed no later than Monday, March 8, 2004, to the following number: (334) 242-0588. The written request must include the following information: the name of the requesting party wishing to appear and to speak before the Advisory Committee; the mailing address of the speaker; the telephone number where the speaker may be reached during normal business hours; and the name of any organization the speaker represents. No telephone requests will be accepted.
(3) This Notice shall also specify that persons wishing to appear before the Advisory Committee to make comments or suggestions in person will be required to limit their verbal comments to ten minutes and will be asked to submit a written copy of their comments. The Advisory Committee will make every reasonable effort to schedule the verbal testimony for all interested persons. Persons wishing to speak may specify a date and time they wish to appear, but the Advisory Committee reserves the right to schedule the dates and times for the testimony. Testimony must pertain strictly to the Guidelines and must not include issues other than child support.

(4) All persons wishing to speak before the Committee will be placed on a list that will be given to the Marshal of the Supreme Court prior to the public hearing. The Notice shall specify that if persons wishing to speak before the Advisory Committee intend to bring other persons to the public hearing, the names and addresses of these persons must be provided in the written request to Mr. Jackson. All persons wishing to speak before the Committee may park in the deck on Hull Street and must enter the Judicial Building in the front portal to go through the Security Station. No weapons, knives, cell phones, or cameras will be allowed anywhere in the Judicial Building during the public hearing.