(a)The Department of Human Resources, Child Support Enforcement Division, may establish a program for the publication, in newspapers with general circulation throughout the state, of a listing of 10 child support obligors in any county who are delinquent in their support payments. Each publication shall display photographs of and information about the 10 obligors in any county who are liable for support arrearages and whose whereabouts are unknown to child support agencies. Each publication shall list a toll-free telephone number for the division that may be called to report information regarding the whereabouts of any of the obligors displayed in the publication. The department may include any other information in the publication that it considers appropriate.
(b)Prior to any publicatio
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(a) The Department of Human Resources, Child Support Enforcement Division, may establish a program for the publication, in newspapers with general circulation throughout the state, of a listing of 10 child support obligors in any county who are delinquent in their support payments. Each publication shall display photographs of and information about the 10 obligors in any county who are liable for support arrearages and whose whereabouts are unknown to child support agencies. Each publication shall list a toll-free telephone number for the division that may be called to report information regarding the whereabouts of any of the obligors displayed in the publication. The department may include any other information in the publication that it considers appropriate.
(b) Prior to any publication or public listing, the Department of Human Resources shall send to each obligor whose name will be published pursuant to this section a notice by regular mail to the obligor’s last known address. The notice shall state that the obligor may avoid being included in the publication pursuant to this section by doing all of the following within 90 days after receipt of notice:
(1) Making a child support payment to the Department of Human Resources, Child Support Enforcement Division, that is at least equal to the amount of support the obligor is required to pay each month under the support order or a percentage of child support arrears owed by the obligor, whichever amount is greater.
(2) Providing the division with the obligor’s current address.
(3) Providing the division with verification from each of the obligor’s current employers of the obligor’s current wages, salary, and other compensation.
(4) Providing the division with verification that the obligor has arranged for withholding from the obligor’s wages, salary, or other compensation to pay support and for payment of arrearages.
(c) The division shall determine whether any obligor whose name will be published has met all of the conditions of subsection (b). If the division determines that an obligor has done so, the division shall remove the obligor from the list of obligors before making the final selection of obligors for publication.
(d) The Department of Human Resources, Child Support Enforcement Division, shall distribute for publication and post on the DHR website at a minimum of twice a year or monthly as deemed appropriate by the division, the obligors who are to appear in publication.
(e) The Department of Human Resources, Child Support Enforcement Division, shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act for the operation of the program. The rules shall specify the following:
(1) Criteria for the division to use in reviewing the names of obligors for publication and for selecting the delinquent obligors to be included in the publication.
(2) Criteria for providing the notice specified in subsection (b).
(3) Notification that the obligor is responsible for all costs for the publication.
(4) The department must design a system of safeguards which protect innocent parties. Such safeguards and procedures must be approved by the Legislative Council within one year of passage.
(5) Any other criteria necessary for the operation of the program.
(f) The Department of Human Resources and its employees and agents and any newspaper publishing any information pursuant to this section shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be imposed or incurred in carrying out the provisions of this section.