(a)
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(1)
Child and spousal support are serious legal obligations.
(2)
The current system for obtaining, modifying, and enforcing child and spousal support orders is inadequate to meet the future needs of California’s children due to burgeoning caseloads within local child support agencies and the growing number of parents who are representing themselves in family law actions.
(3)
The success of California’s child support enforcement program depends upon its ability to establish and enforce child support orders quickly and efficiently.
(4)
There is a compelling state interest in creating an expedited process in the courts that is cost-effective and accessible to families, for establishing and enforcing child support orders in cases being enforced by the local child support agency.
(5)
There is a compelling state interest in having a simple, speedy, conflict-reducing system, that is both cost-effective and accessible to families, for resolving all issues concerning children, including support, health insurance, custody, and visitation in family law cases that do not involve enforcement by the local child support agency.
(b)
Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to: (1) provide for commissioners to hear child support cases being enforced by the local child support agency; (2) adopt uniform and simplified procedures for all child support cases; and (3) create an Office of the Family Law Facilitator in the courts to provide education, information, and assistance to parents with child support issues.