PIERRE, S.D. – On July 23rd, Governor Kristi Noem and 20 bipartisan governors joined in urging Congress to pass the Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Act (HR 7906). The legislation would strengthen the ability of Tribes to collect child support by providing them another tool to do so. The letter was written to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

In outlining the problem, Governor Noem and her colleagues write, “The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has determined that direct access to federal tax information (FTI) by Tribal child support programs is prohibited under current law and that contractor access to FTI is limited. Until last year, IRS audits of child support programs held those federal tax information findings in abeyance while waiting for a legislative solution.”

HR 7906 fixes this issue by resolving a discrepancy under the Internal Revenue Code of the use and definition of contractors in establishing and enforcing child support obligations.

“This legislative fix clarifying the use of contractors provides administrative certainty for all agencies and provides Tribes with direct access to tax refund offsets, giving them another tool to support children and families.  We support the passage of HR 7906 to avoid disruption in these essential services,” conclude Governor Noem and her colleagues.

Governor Noem was joined in signing the letter by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Delaware Governor John Carney, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, Vermont Governor Phil Scott, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.