- The Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1984 (CSEA), also known as Public Law#98–378, was signed into Law by President Ronald Reagan on August 16, 1984.
- Actual bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/house-bill/4325
- This was another step in the continued effort by the federal government in the perceived failure of child support payments to limit general welfare.
- This was the first federal involvement in statewide child support guidelines.
- Key points of the legislation included:
1.State agencies are required to offer collection for non-welfare cases under the guise that all women could become welfare cases.
2.Mandatory garnishment of any NCP who is in arrears by one month
3. Confiscated income tax refunds and unemployment benefits for arrears in all cases
4. Reported arrearage to credit bureaus
5. Confiscate assets (liens) for individuals in arrearage.
6. Allowed administrative child support orders without due process.
7. Encouraged states to adopt standard child support guidelines
8. Alimony should be added in state agency mandates
9. Allows paternity establishment up to 18 years after birth.
10. Allows retroactive assessment of child support for up to 18 years.
11. Medical insurance should be included as a separate item in child support order
12. Technical assistance was provided by OCSE